A Walk on the Wild Side
by Poetgirl925
Summary: Chloe makes some impromptu purchases one night after running into Jimmy and his new girlfriend. When a very surprised Oliver finds them, a misunderstanding sends them down a new path in their relationship. But as Chloe's feelings deepen and Oliver struggles with emotional intimacy, she wonders how much of Oliver's public playboy lifestyle she can really handle. Assume late S7-S8
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ****Another story from my archives. I've been posting in another forum, but I held off posting here at FF for a while due to the M content. After reading some other M stories here though, I feel that mine is actually less explicit. I went more for sensual than outright explicit in any case. This story stems from a writing exercise, and it was fun to try and make it fit Chlollie. I hope all of my awesome Chlollie readers enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **

**Part I**

It was Saturday night in Metropolis, a night when most young people were out with friends or significant others. _And what am I doing?_ Chloe thought. _Working. _Maybe she needed to take Lois up on the vacation she'd been urging Chloe to go on with her.

She'd been manning the hotline at the _Daily Planet_ most of the evening. When her replacement arrived, she began going through some of her notes on a story she was putting together, but eventually her need of a caffeine fix prompted her to take a break.

Chloe's coffee break turned into a shopping excursion when she saw a pair of ankle boots in a store window calling her name. Fall was just around the corner, and her wardrobe was in serious need of some sprucing up. At a sports store, she added some new yoga pants and tanks to her purchases. She loved the comfort they provided when she was at home lounging or writing.

She had just left the coffee shop with her venti mocha latte when she saw Jimmy rounding the corner at the next intersection. He was with his new girlfriend, another staff photographer at the _Planet_ named Stephanie. Chloe paused, inwardly groaning.

She and Jimmy had called it quits – for real this time – more than two months ago, and mostly she was ok with that. Their ongoing drama had been wearing on both of them, and she knew it would never change. She didn't think she would ever be able to fully bring him into her life, not when it involved sidekicking for Clark and Oliver's league of heroes. And as long as she had to lie to him about such a big part of her life, she knew they were never really going anywhere.

It still hurt though. Their last argument had been intense with both of them trading jabs out of frustration. The following day Jimmy had come by her dorm to tell her he was sorry about the things he said, but he thought it was better if they just went their separate ways. After all the arguing, their breakup had been surprisingly anti-climactic.

Although they had parted on mostly good terms, she really didn't feel like making small talk with Jimmy and Stephanie. The two of them had gained quite a reputation for being googly-eyed and giggly over one another at work, and she had to fight the urge to roll her eyes whenever she saw them canoodling in the office.

She ducked into the closest store before they saw her, taking a sip of her coffee as she looked around. _Wow_. She stopped short as she realized she had walked into the store called Love Stuff. She had heard of it before because Lois was a regular customer since taking on the responsibility of planning a _Planet_ co-worker's bachelorette party. Lois also showed Chloe every kinky thing she bought, and she particularly delighted in pulling it all out whenever Clark was around. Chloe had to admit that watching her best friend turn twenty shades of red and purple while choking on his tongue was amusing, especially since she suspected the current back and forth between Lois and Clark was some sort of strange foreplay.

No problem. She'd just wait a few minutes and then head back to work. She walked over to a display of costumes, raising her brows at a few of them. She and Jimmy had never gotten into costumes or anything that could remotely be labeled kinky, really. She had bought furry pink handcuffs once, intending to use them with Jimmy on date night. But after she had cuffed him to the bed, they'd both been a little weirded out by it. As a foray into bondage, she didn't think it had been all that successful.

Their tame bedroom routine had been one of the more stinging of Jimmy's remarks during their last fight as a couple, especially since Chloe didn't consider that to be all her fault. Jimmy's idea of foreplay was like a coordinated routine and while moderately effective, it had never left her awash in the sort of afterglow Lois often described when she had a new boyfriend. She heard the door open behind her and turned to look. _Crap._

Jimmy walked in with Stephanie, and they paused when they saw Chloe. Looking uncomfortable, Jimmy said, "Chloe… hey."

Chloe forced a smile. "Hi Jimmy. Stephanie, nice to see you again."

"You too, Chloe." Stephanie smiled back hesitantly, but Chloe noticed that she tucked her arm through Jimmy's and leaned in closer to him.

Jimmy cleared his throat. "So, guess you're helping Lois with that bachelorette party, huh?"

"No. Should I be?" Chloe asked.

"Well, I mean… it's not really your kind of store," he replied with a little laugh.

Chloe bit back the snarky retort that it wasn't _his_ kind of store either. She could only assume it was Stephanie's influence, though she really didn't look like the kinky type either. But then you never could tell about those kinds of things. "I'm just picking up a few things to surprise my boyfriend this weekend." _Whoa… where did that come from?_

Jimmy looked surprised. "I didn't realize you were dating anyone."

She knew that was her cue to tell him who she was dating – kind of difficult since the only date she'd been on lately was a setup Lois sent her on last week. George Dean was a few years older than Chloe but very sweet, and he was one of the youngest detectives with the Metropolis Police Department. It had gone well, and George even asked to see her again. But Chloe put him off with the excuse that she needed to wait for her work schedule to come out for the following week. As nice as he was, she wasn't certain that starting yet another relationship based on lies was the greatest idea at the moment.

"Well, it's kind of new," she answered vaguely.

"And you're shopping in here?" Jimmy looked doubtful.

Later, Chloe couldn't say what made her do it – only that the idea that he thought it was weird for her to be in that store just pissed her off. She grabbed a basket and smiled at them. "Nice to see you, but I have somewhere to be."

She headed down the nearest aisle. Bondage and fetish – yikes. Pushing down her initial squeamish reaction, Chloe grabbed a few packages that looked interesting and kept going. Flavored body products, check. Sexy costume, why not? By the time she walked to the checkout desk, her little basket was full. For good measure she grabbed several large boxes of condoms, all different flavors and colors, and all in the most generous size available.

Chloe hid her embarrassment as the girl at the checkout desk began ringing up her purchases, feeling especially self-conscious when she heard Jimmy and Stephanie approaching. But apparently this was just another day at the office for the store clerk because her bored expression never wavered. Chloe had to wonder what kind of sex life she had that none of the items even fazed her.

She gave Chloe her total, more than two hundred dollars. Suppressing a cringe, Chloe handed over her card even as she made a mental note of the store's return policy. Grabbing the two bags and adding them to the ones she already carried became a balancing act, but she managed.

Chloe turned to Jimmy and Stephanie, and the expression on Jimmy's face was worth every dime she had just spent. With a smirk at his lone bottle of massage oil, Chloe said, "See you on Monday!"

With all of her bags, Chloe decided she'd probably better pack it in and just take a cab back to the dorms. Her car was in the shop for minor repairs and wouldn't be ready until Monday morning. But the cab gods were not smiling on her, and five blocks later her hands were cramping up. She paused briefly on the darkened street, setting the bags down and flexing her hands before picking them back up. She thought she heard a noise behind her but saw nothing when she turned.

Just as Chloe was passing an alley, she felt someone grab her from behind. She tried to shriek, but the gloved hand that came down over her mouth prevented any sound from escaping.

"Hands full, no pepper spray at the ready – I'm disappointed, Sullivan."

The deep, distorted voice was familiar, and Chloe sagged in relief as the man released her and drew her further into the dark alley. Turning, she glared at the cocky vigilante standing before her. "And apparently Green Arrow has nothing better to do than scare people for his own amusement? What the hell, Ollie?"

He grinned at her, features only barely discernible beneath the hood and dark glasses he wore. "Come on – you had that coming. You might as well be wearing a sign that says 'Come get me.' Your arms are full and you had no way to defend yourself once I grabbed you. Seriously, Chloe – you should know better."

Chloe sighed, knowing he had a point. "I didn't plan to have this many bags, and my car is in the shop. I was just walking back to the dorm."

"Well, if you don't have better plans, is there any chance I can convince you to swing by my place and help me out with some research? I was planning to call you when I finished patrolling."

"When did you get back? I didn't even know you were in town," Chloe said.

"This afternoon. And it's looking like I'll be here indefinitely, at least for a while. I have a lot of business at the QI office here that needs to be addressed. So, gonna help me out?"

She glanced down at her bags, biting her lip. "Yeah, ok. I need to get a cab though. There's no way I can carry all this down to Queen Towers."

Oliver held up his phone. "Not a problem. I sent a text to my driver when I saw you walking alone in the dark. He should be waiting at the next intersection. You have the codes to the penthouse, so just let yourself in. I'll be there soon."

"Driver, huh? Must be nice." Chloe took a moment to look him over. Even as the billionaire CEO of Queen Industries, Oliver Queen demanded attention. He was cocky and confident, and it came across in every meeting and interview he conducted. But cocky had a whole new meaning when he took on the Green Arrow persona.

His lips lifted at the corners, clearly amused by her checking him out. And that was exactly what she had been doing without even realizing it. Her cheeks flushed a little despite the cool night air. "I'll see you at your place."

Oliver watched her hurrying toward the intersection, keeping her in sight until he saw her get into the car waiting there. He had to admit that getting the jump on Chloe Sullivan was the highlight of his evening because it so rarely happened. Despite the trouble she occasionally got into, it was almost always related to something she was doing for Clark or the League, and she was usually hyper aware of her surroundings. It made him wonder about the source of her distraction.

She was also damn cute when she got flustered, remembering her embarrassment when he caught her checking him out. Not that he hadn't checked her out on occasion; the first time he'd seen her in Clark's barn came to mind. But he never allowed his mind to wander too long in that direction because Chloe was young and too valuable an asset to the team for him to consider getting too friendly.

Since everything on the crime front had been unusually quiet, he decided to head back early and get Chloe started on the research he needed. It was actually nice to be back in Metropolis, and he was looking forward to the change of scenery.


	2. Chapter 2

**Part II**

Chloe was waiting when Oliver arrived back at the penthouse. After a quick change into comfortable jeans and a casual button down shirt, he joined her in his office and outlined the latest League project. Once she got started, he went to the kitchen and grabbed his uneaten dinner from an earlier business meeting. He also got a bottle of water for Chloe, handing it to her as he sat on the other side of his desk to eat.

He used his laptop to go through some emails, replying to a few of them and marking others to be addressed later. He also checked his schedule for the following week and grimaced slightly at how busy it looked like he would be. Changing offices always resulted in some slight confusion. Eventually he turned his attention to Chloe. She was tapping her lip with her finger as she studied the information on the screen, something he remembered she did when she was concentrating.

Oliver glanced over at the number of bags she'd been carrying. Since he was bored just sitting there waiting for Chloe to do her thing, he started looking at the course books in her book bag. _World War I History and World War I Literature – probably a companion class,_ he thought. _Ethics in Journalism, Criminology…huh?_

He looked over at Chloe. "Criminology? How is that related to journalism?"

"What?" She looked up at him, brow furrowed in confusion.

He held up the book with a raised brow.

"It's called an elective – and given my moonlighting for you and the team, it might be useful. Ollie, I'm trying to concentrate here." Her attention turned back to the screen.

Oliver flipped through the books for a minute and then reached for the shopping bags she'd brought in. One was from a shoe store. Not surprising since he'd noted before that Chloe had a thing for shoes, particularly boots and high heels. She'd worn a pair of leopard print heels to a League meeting once that had Bart salivating like she was his next burrito dinner. Oliver had to smack the back of his head twice to keep him focused.

One bag was from a sports shop and contained yoga pants and a couple of tank tops. He wondered if it was just loungewear or if she was planning to take up yoga. Maybe he'd ask her to join him – visions of Chloe doing the downward facing dog raced through his brain, and he shifted uncomfortably. _Yeah, maybe not._ The next two bags made him forget all about yoga.

The last bags didn't have logos, and he understood why when he saw what was in them. He raised his brows at the sexy cop outfit – a barely there pleated miniskirt with attached handcuffs and a front tie police shirt complete with badge. His groin tightened as he tried to wrap his head around the idea of Chloe buying a kinky costume like this. Maybe it was for Halloween? If she wore it out in public, she'd cause a riot, especially at a frat party or a club. Oliver was semi-aroused just thinking about her wearing the outfit while dancing. He decided to check with Clark about their Halloween plans. He might have to tag along to keep her out of trouble.

He made an effort to calm down as he looked at the other items in the two bags. He frowned, surprise turning to shock at the contents, and his stunned disbelief increased with each thing he saw. Bondage starter kit…fetish play variety pack…Dr. Good Head flavored gels…Mint Chocolate Deep Throat spray…a paddle? _Jesus_. She had enough condoms in the bag to supply her entire dorm. And the last few items were things he'd never have suspected she even knew about. _What the fuck was going on?_

He looked up at Chloe, still hard at work on the computer. Why would she buy all this stuff? Suddenly, he remembered Clark talking about all the crazy things Lois had been buying lately because of some bachelorette party she was planning for a co-worker. And of course, Lois being Lois, she got a kick out of showing the resident Boy Scout all her goodies. He relaxed, relieved that there was an explanation. Probably wouldn't help his brand new Officer Chloe fantasies, though.

"This is going to be quite the bachelorette party, huh?" Oliver was a little amused now, picturing Chloe in the kind of store that sold these types of things. She'd probably been blushing the whole time.

"Huh?" She looked up and an expression of horror crossed her face. "Oliver!" He was holding up the sexy cop outfit.

"Hey, this is the tamest thing in your little bag of tricks here," he replied with a smirk. "So when is this bachelorette party again? Because I'd be more than happy to escort you ladies around Metropolis for the night."

Chloe's earlier humiliation came flooding back. Why did no one believe that she could buy this kind of thing for herself? She'd never realized that everyone thought she was such a good girl type. She felt a surge of rebellion. "How do you even know about the bachelorette party? And for your information, that's my stuff."

Oliver grinned at her. "Oh come on, Sidekick. I know you and Jimmy broke up, which I'm sorry about, by the way." Ok, not really, but he _was_ sorry if she had been hurt. He just personally didn't think Jimmy Olsen was good enough for Chloe.

Now she was angry. Chloe sat back and crossed her arms. "How do you know that?"

"Clark mentioned it to Victor, and Victor told me. And Clark's been talking about the bachelorette party Lois is planning. So, what are you girls doing? Making a honeymoon basket?"

"You guys gossip worse than a bunch of middle school girls. And why Victor would tell you about my love life, I have no idea," Chloe grumbled. "But that stuff is not for the bachelorette party. Lois is planning that, not me."

Oliver knew why Victor kept him updated on Chloe. It was because he had noticed the way Oliver flirted with her and had also called him on it more than once. Oliver always shrugged it off. He knew Victor thought he should make a play for Chloe himself, but he also knew that was a bad idea for many reasons.

"Yeah, ok," he said in amusement. "Because you're definitely the bondage type." Another fantasy he could now add to his Officer Chloe roster. He was seeing more than a few cold showers in his future. Or maybe he just needed to get back on the club circuit and find a girl he could blow off some steam with. He hadn't done that in a while, and it was his usual M.O. That girl just couldn't be Chloe.

"Maybe I am, Oliver. How would you know? Believe whatever you want," she said calmly, "but I did not buy that stuff for the party. Everything in those bags is mine." And that was the total truth. He didn't need to know she had been planning to return what she could because of the cost. Now she was almost determined to keep every single item. And not just keep them – use them. Just so she could say she had. _Take that, good girl image._

Oliver waited for her to say 'Gotcha!' Nothing. She had to be kidding. "Chloe, be serious."

"I am being serious, but I don't have to convince you because it's not your business what I do or who I do it with." Chloe turned her attention back to the computer.

He stared at her, dumbfounded. "You're telling me, in all seriousness, that you bought this stuff for yourself?" Suddenly, he was far less amused.

"Yes."

Not a blink or a twitch – shit, she was _actually_ serious. "But you and Jimmy broke up at least two months ago."

"Last I checked Jimmy Olsen is not the only man in Metropolis."

Oliver had a sudden, horribly awkward thought. "This isn't uh… it's not for Clark, is it?" _Please say no._

Chloe looked shocked. "God, no. Geez, would you just drop it?"

Relief shot through him because the last thing he wanted was to think about Chloe and Clark together like that. Or Chloe and _anyone_ together like that. He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated by her vague answers and determined to get to the bottom of this.

"Have you been reading that 'Fifty Shades' book?" Oliver demanded. God knew it had given a lot of women the wrong idea about fetish and bondage play, and the kinds of come-ons he'd been getting lately bordered on the ridiculous. The woman who wrote that garbage had a lot to answer for in his opinion.

Chloe momentarily forgot her embarrassment. "'Fifty Shades of Crap?' Are you kidding me?" She shot him a look of disbelief. "If I wanted to read weird Twilight fan fiction, there are free websites out there - and probably better authors."

"Then I don't understand this." Oliver held up the package labeled 'Ben Wa Balls.' "Do you even know what these are for?"

No, she didn't. But he didn't need to know that either. "Yes," she muttered through clenched teeth.

"And these..." He held up the one called 'Love Beads.' "These are not Mardi Gras beads, Chloe."

Her temper flared. "You know, Jimmy and I dated for a long time. I'm not a virgin, Oliver, and I haven't been one since I was sixteen." Also true. Of course, there had been a great big dry spell between Jimmy and… well, Jimmy. _My love life sucks_, she thought morosely. She was going to have to concede Lois's point on that.

Oliver snorted in disbelief. "There's a big gap between being a virgin and _this_, Chloe. I'd bet every dime I have that Jimmy doesn't know what this stuff is either. What was his idea of getting kinky - fuzzy handcuffs? And I bet he giggled his way through it."

Chloe's cheeks burned. They had both giggled their way through that, actually. "You don't know anything about my sex life with Jimmy."

"I know this isn't you," he said, waving his hand at her bags. "What's going on?"

"How would any of you know what is or isn't me?" She stood up, rounded the desk, and started throwing the packages back in her bags. "You only notice me when you need me to be research girl. You know, I'm not just the Justice League's sidekick, Oliver - I am a woman. I had a date last week, and I'm seeing him again next week." Not her original plan, though George was nice; but maybe she did need to put herself out there more like Lois said. "Maybe I've decided to take a walk on the wild side for a change."

Oliver watched as she grabbed her jacket, unsure how to respond to her tirade. "Chloe, wait."

"I'll email you with the rest of my research," she said, not meeting his eyes as she walked into the elevator.

_Damn_, he thought. That didn't go well at all. And maybe that was his fault because Chloe did have a point. She was an adult, and he'd sort of implied that she had no idea what she was doing. The problem was that he was afraid she really didn't know what she was getting herself into with all the stuff she'd bought. You needed to at least be able to trust the person you played 'tie me up tie me down' with.

And who the hell was this date? Someone at work? Someone older? The last thought made him scowl as he wondered if someone was taking advantage of her naiveté. Predators abounded in this city. He spent enough time out as Oliver Queen to know that, not to mention what he saw when patrolling.

_It's none of your business_ the practical side of his brain reminded him. True. But if some weirdo was trying to take advantage of her then as her friend, he felt like that _was_ his business. Unfortunately, he was also back to acknowledging his attraction to her. It was something that he'd recognized not long after he met her. But given that she was Clark's best friend and a member of the League in her own right, he'd unofficially instituted a 'hands off' policy when it came to Chloe. His own reputation was less than stellar in that department anyway.

Feeling restless, he decided to head out and make one more round of the city before calling it a night. And tomorrow, he'd see what he could find out about Chloe's date.

**A/N - Just to be clear, this will NOT be a kink fest story. Some mentions of Chloe's purchases are strictly for humor. That being said, there will be a few chapters with an M rating and some of the purchases are used. I just tried to keep it from being too explicit and more on the realistic side, and I wanted to keep it in line with the characters. I was kind of going for a sensual love story, so if you like it then please let me know. Hope you're enjoying the story! I'll post as often as I can, and updates are coming for other stories too - I've just been having some Internet trouble and posting usually requires multiple attempts. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Part III**

Chloe hurried down the sidewalk on Tuesday afternoon, shifting her heavy tote bag as she walked. Her class had run longer than usual and she was now fifteen minutes late meeting Lois for lunch. Of course, with her cousin's lax concept of punctual, it was possible she wouldn't be there yet. She pushed open the door to their favorite diner and looked around, finally spotting Lois in a booth to the right.

Lois looked up as Chloe approached. "You're late," she said almost gleefully.

"Yes, one time – not to be compared to the many, many times I've had to wait for you," Chloe replied with a raised brow. "My class went long."

"Honestly, I just got here about three minutes ago," Lois confessed. "I was looking at dresses online for your hot date."

"Would you please stop calling it that? It's just a date – nothing fancy. Dinner and dancing at the new salsa club downtown."

"Chlo, anything not involving your bunny slippers and laptop on a Friday night constitutes a hot date at this point. I'm just happy to see you moving on from Jimbo and getting out there again, and I'm excited to be helping you pick out a dress, and I want it to be the most awesome dress Detective Dean has ever seen so that he falls madly in love with you. So don't ruin my fun, ok?" Lois shot Chloe her best you-know-you-love me smile.

Chloe couldn't help laughing because it had been this way since they were children – Lois' mad dashes into life tempered by Chloe's more cautious approaches. But the one thing she always knew was that Lois loved her and had her back no matter what; and with the little family she had left, that connection meant more to her than anything else in the world. A little mad cap she might be, but Chloe wouldn't actually change her cousin. The balance worked for them.

"Just keep my budget in mind and I'm open to suggestions," Chloe remarked, lifting her hand to get the waitress' attention. They ordered quickly before Lois picked up the conversation.

"For the right dress, I'll chip in. I have an adult paying job, and we'll call it an early Christmas present or something. I just want you to be happy, and you've been seriously stressed this year. You're too young for that – that's supposed to come later when you've got screaming kids, a husband, a dog, and a mortgage. Right now you should be going to frat parties or clubs or just, I don't know - something fun. But you're barely twenty-two and you look like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders half the time."

Chloe leaned her chin on her palm and stared at her cousin. She hadn't realized that Lois was that observant. And she did have a lot of stress; dealing with aliens, vigilante heroes, juggling school, work and helping said heroes. It was a little overwhelming at times, but she knew she was making a valuable contribution to their cause. Then there was her meteor ability. Nothing like learning you could heal mortal wounds and raise the dead at the expense of your own life for a few hours to make you question your own mortality.

"Lois, I know it seems like my life gets a little intense sometimes, but I really am ok. Most of the time I'm dealing better than you might think."

"I know you can deal Chloe, but that's not the point I'm making. We've both been dealing with life's craziness since we were kids. I let it all out and you hold it all in – since we were little, it's always been that way. I just want you to have more of a balance, I guess. And I know I'm pushy and mouthy, but I'm also here for you whenever it gets to be too much. I won't even ask questions."

Chloe raised a brow at that.

Lois sighed. "Ok, I won't ask _too many_ questions. I'm just saying that when you need me, I'll buy the ice cream and we'll veg out and watch movies and gossip about all the people we don't like, and all the guys we do like. You can sleep over and complain about how I kick too much, and it'll be just like those sleepovers we had during the summers when I visited you or you visited me."

It was times like this that reminded Chloe how much she loved Lois, even when she was driving her crazy. She blinked rapidly against sudden moisture in her eyes and reached out to squeeze her cousin's hand. "Thanks, Lo."

"Oh, and keep your schedule open for that bachelorette party in a few weeks. By then you'll probably have had a few dates with Dean, and that will be the perfect time to get out and consider your options."

_And pushy Lois is back_, she thought in amusement. But Chloe realized she didn't mind so much this afternoon. Maybe a little push was what she needed now and then.

They finished their lunch and began hitting all the stores on Lois' list. Two hours in, Lois insisted that they had found 'the dress.'

"This one," Lois said, holding out what Chloe could only assume was a fire engine red napkin masquerading as part of a dress.

"Lois, I agreed to go on another date with George; I did not agree to go dressed like a prostitute."

Lois pouted and sighed. "Seriously, cuz, you're no fun."

"And if you had your way, I'd be a little too much fun," Chloe replied drily. She continued flipping through the racks.

"This one?"

She turned to see Lois holding up an off the shoulder leopard print mini. "A little too 'Tarzan meets Jane' for me. You could pull that off – I couldn't."

An hour later they were in another of Lois' favorite consignment shops. "I love this one," Chloe said, holding up a black halter dress with a short skirt in a funky yellow, black, and white floral design.

"Ooh, I like it. But I think that one would be good for the bachelorette party. You need more of a wow factor for your date. What about this one? It looks more like you, I think."

Chloe reached for the dress and held it in front of her as she looked in the mirror. "I'll try both of them on."

A few minutes later when she stepped out to show Lois, she knew Lois' choice was the right dress for her date. It was a simple design in a muted purple silk. It was short with the hem well above the knee, but it wasn't too low cut. The bodice had a sequined border running along the top and one strap went across her left shoulder, leaving her right shoulder bare.

Lois nodded in satisfaction. "A silver heel, a smoky eye, some nice earrings or maybe a bracelet – you will be the hottest chica at Bongo's on Friday night."

Chloe smoothed her hand down the material. It was sexy and had a young feel while still being sophisticated. "I like it. I'm going to try on the other one, too."

A few minutes later she stood in front of the mirror again, biting her lip. "I like this one too – it looks fun and flirty. But I really can't afford to buy both of them."

Lois whipped out a card. "The purple one is on me."

"Isn't that the card Uncle Sam gave you for emergencies?"

"Trust me, cuz – your love life _is_ an emergency. And as long as I don't go crazy, and I occasionally contribute to the bill, the General doesn't care what I charge. He always sends us shopping with his card when he visits anyway – you are his favorite niece, you know." Lois nodded to the dress Chloe was holding. "You can swing that one, right?"

Chloe smiled. "Yeah – and thanks, Lo."

An hour later they had purchased the necessary accessories and were on their way back to Chloe's dorm. When they arrived, Clark was waiting.

"Hey, Clark. Something wrong?" Chloe opened the door and waved Lois and Clark in ahead of her.

"No, I just wanted to talk to you about researching something for me," Clark replied. He glanced at Lois. "Just a story idea, nothing solid yet."

"You know, Smallville, we have Google at the office. Maybe if Chloe didn't spend so much time being your personal search engine, she'd have more time to date," Lois pointed out. She held up the purple mini in one hand and the silver heels they'd purchased in the other. "What do you think? Detective Dean won't know what hit him."

Clark looked over at Chloe in surprise. "I thought you weren't going to see him again."

"I changed my mind," she said.

He cleared his throat, looking at the dress again. "And you're wearing that? Where are you going?"

"He's taking me to dinner on Friday at the new salsa club," Chloe answered. She raised a curious brow. "Is something wrong with me wearing that?"

"Uhm… no, it's just…" he paused, pushing up the glasses he'd begun wearing after making the move to Metropolis to work at the _Daily Planet_. "It's kind of short."

"And I'm an adult, and wearing a short skirt is my prerogative." She suddenly felt just as irritated with Clark as she had with Jimmy and Oliver. Seriously, did every man on the planet think she was a sexless, work-a-holic, goody-two-shoes type? Because if they did, it was beyond pathetic and she was tired of it.

"But it might give him the wrong idea or something." Clark shifted, clearly a bit uncomfortable with the conversation.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "The idea that what? I'm a woman? Maybe I want him to get that idea." She sighed and grabbed her tote. "I have to get to work. Lock the door on your way out."

Clark waited until Chloe left before turning to Lois. "This is just her second date with this guy, right? I mean, she's not really thinking about… you know…"

"It's Chloe, so I doubt it, but what if she is? George Dean is a great guy, and he'll treat her with respect. I'd never have set him up with my baby cousin if I thought otherwise. And seriously, the fact that her only sexual experience is with Jimmy freaking Olsen at the age of twenty-two is just sad – sad, I tell you."

"Lois, can you please not tell me that kind of thing about Chloe? She's been my best friend since we were kids," he said with a pained expression. "But she and Jimmy only broke up a couple of months ago. I just don't want to see her get hurt again."

Lois' expression softened. She kind of had to love Clark for looking out for Chloe the way he did. "I think you need to give her more credit, Clark. She's a smart girl. Now, what's this story idea you need help with?"

Clark sighed, straightening his tie. Maybe he'd try to talk to Chloe at the League meeting the following night. And he was sure Victor could look up everything there was to know about Detective George Dean.

* * *

Oliver ran a hand over the back of his neck, frustrated. "You're telling me there's nothing at all on this guy that's out of the ordinary?"

Victor shrugged. "I dug deep, and George Dean is solid, man. He's a decorated officer with the MPD, and the youngest detective in the history of the department. Parents live in Grandville, he has an older sister who's married and a couple of nieces, one nephew. He's still Facebook friends with two of his ex-girlfriends, and he seems to like monogamous relationships. His reputation rivals Clark's for being a Boy Scout in that department."

Oliver scowled at the computer. "Ok thanks. I'll see you at the meeting later." He ended the video call and leaned back in his chair. He'd been so sure that Victor was going to find dirt on this guy, and it irritated him that he hadn't. This was definitely not a good week.

He'd been slammed by business concerns during the first part of the week. He'd finally managed to carve out a little time to meet Lois for a late lunch earlier that day. It was nice that after their brief dating history, they could still be friends. But their relationship hadn't been very serious, and they'd both moved on more quickly than they thought they would. There was no drama between them, and lunch was lighthearted, giving them time to catch up on each other's lives.

When Oliver casually brought up the subject of Chloe, Lois was eager to fill him in on Chloe's date with Detective Dean on Friday night. Apparently the young detective was taking Chloe to dinner at the new salsa club in town. It sounded innocent enough until he remembered that salsa dancing included a lot of touching. That always led him back to Chloe's kinky cop costume, and that inevitably led to things he really shouldn't be thinking about at all. He'd had more sex dreams about Chloe this week than he could ever remember having about another woman.

Meanwhile, Chloe adamantly refused to answer his calls. She had emailed him the research she completed, and she had texted him once to say she was busy with classes and work, but he knew that was an excuse. She was probably embarrassed that he'd seen her purchases. He guessed she was probably also angry that he'd questioned her about them. Looking back on it, he probably could have handled it better.

But she really couldn't avoid him tonight because they had a League meeting with everyone required to be in attendance. There was a new mission to plan for, and Chloe's research and input were both key to the planning process. As much as she might want to, he was sure she would never ditch a meeting when she knew her presence was necessary – it would be a waste of everyone else's time if she wasn't there to explain the information she had found. There was really no way for her to avoid him.

* * *

Oliver was forced to adjust his ideas regarding Chloe's avoidance tactics by that evening. She had arrived at his penthouse with Clark and throughout the entire meeting, she managed to keep half a room and at least two League members between them. Short of blatantly calling her out on it in front of everyone, there wasn't much he could do about it.

And did she have to wear those little skirts to the meetings? He knew she was probably working that night, but the black pencil skirt paired with her very feminine pink blouse was making it hard to concentrate. The collar was high, but the blouse had a deep V-neck that showed a lot of cleavage, and the ribbon tie holding it together was driving him nuts. One little pull of the satin ribbon, and... he took a deep breath, shifting his folder to hide the evidence of his growing arousal.

Then there were her shoes - black, peep-toe, and high enough to add a good three inches to her petite frame. He could see pink polish on her toes, and when she turned, the underside of her heels was a similar shade of pink. Fuck-me-heels without a doubt. Oliver noticed Bart staring at her ass and was about to hit him, but Clark beat him to it. He was going to have to have a talk with Bart about his concentration at meetings. His own wasn't much better though.

He leaned against the wall and stared at Chloe moodily as she began to wrap up. They had a solid plan in place for the mission which wouldn't go down for a couple more weeks. He knew that she and Victor would have several online sessions together as they nailed down the finer points of getting into the medical research facility that they suspected held information about meteor infected patients.

At this point Oliver was less concerned about the mission and more concerned about Chloe's date the following night. He'd been thinking a lot about Chloe's apparent desire to broaden her sexual horizons, and he'd realized something. He wouldn't mind being the one to help her do it. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted her.

It was a crazy idea when he thought about it rationally – there were so many potential pitfalls in starting that sort of relationship with Chloe Sullivan. If things went south, Lois would kill him. Clark would kill him. The rest of the League would probably help. But right or wrong, he didn't like the idea of Chloe getting kinky with George Dean. Or anyone else, for that matter. He had the experience, a lot more than he'd need to use the things she'd bought. He knew that he could make it a good experience for her. He wouldn't hurt her; at least, not intentionally. And if at any point she wanted to stop, he'd listen to her.

Now he just needed to convince Chloe. But it looked like she had already worked out her escape route as the meeting concluded.

Turning to Bart, Chloe smiled. "Think I could get a lift back to the dorm?"

"Anywhere for you, Chloelicious," Bart replied with a grin. "The speedster is always at your service."

Oliver pushed away from the wall. "Chloe, I'd like a minute before you leave."

Without meeting his eyes, she said, "Sorry, gotta get to work. Later, ok?"

Bart lifted Chloe into his arms and in a blur of red, they were gone.

_Damn it._ Oliver turned back to his desk and shoved his hands in his pockets. He knew Chloe's date was the following night. It also looked like she had no intention of talking to him anytime soon. Given those two factors, the odds of getting her to cancel her date were rapidly decreasing.

"Hey, Victor, would you mind running background on someone for me?" Clark asked.

Victor turned back to the mainframe. "Hit me."

"George Dean. He's a detective with the…"

"Metropolis Police Department?" Victor finished Clark's sentence, glancing over at Oliver.

"How did you know?" Clark asked in surprise.

"Lucky guess. Mind me asking why George Dean is on your radar?"

"Chloe is seeing him. Tomorrow is date number two, I think," Clark answered. "I just want to make sure he's the guy Lois thinks he is – she set them up."

"Ah, I see," Victor murmured, his eyes speculative as he watched Oliver. "Let me see what I can dig up for you and I'll give you a call later tonight."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll talk to you later." Clark blurred off, leaving Oliver with Victor, AC and Dinah.

Dinah stood up. "About time Chloe got back out in the dating world. Girl lives like a nun."

"Because you'd know all about living like a nun," AC said playfully. "You guys want to grab a drink?"

Oliver shook his head. "I have some more work to do this evening."

"I'll catch up if you want to grab a table," Victor suggested. As soon as they left, he turned to Oliver. "Something you want to talk about?"

"Since I don't pay you to 'Dear Abby' me, the answer is hell, no," Oliver replied shortly.

"Testy, aren't we? And that has nothing to do with Chloe's date with the hot detective?" At Oliver's derisive snort, Victor smirked. "Hey, he's a good looking guy." He turned the monitor toward Oliver to show him the detective's DMV photo.

Clean cut, dark hair, brown eyes - George Dean probably had little trouble with the ladies. And that irritated him even more. "Don't you have somewhere to be? Or are we going to braid each other's hair while we talk about girls?"

"Ok, fine, backing off," Victor said, hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Just saying dog in the manger doesn't suit you, Ollie. Man up and admit you like her, or someone like George is going to beat you to it."

After Victor left, Oliver stood at the floor-to-ceiling window in his home office, staring out at the Metropolis skyline. Of course he liked Chloe, and he was attracted to her. And contrary to Victor's broad hints, it didn't have to be the love affair of the century. Chloe had all but said that she was swearing off serious dating for a while after the breakup. But that didn't mean they couldn't explore something that fell in between casual and serious.

If Chloe wouldn't talk to him, though, it really left him with only one choice. He grabbed his phone and looked up the number for Bongo's Cuban Cafe. "Hi, this is Oliver Queen. I want to reserve a table for tomorrow night."

**A/N: I added a lot to Part III – the whole section with Lois, actually. Hope you like it. I'll get the next part up as soon as I can, but just know that I'm having massive Internet problems here in Saudi. Sometimes pages just won't load and even when they do, I can't always upload. Oh, and there is a real Bongo's in Miami – Orlando, too I think, but I've only ever been to the one in Miami. Fun, fun, fun!**

**Up Next: Oliver crashes date night. Let the games begin! **


	4. Chapter 4

_Everybody's looking for love – oh_

_Ain't that the reason you're at this club – oh_

_You ain't gonna find it dancing with him – no_

_I got a better solution for you girl – oh_

_Just leave with me now, say the word and we'll go_

_I'll be your teacher, I'll show you the ropes_

_You'll see a side of love you've never known_

_I can see it going down, going down_

_In my head – I see you all over me_

_In my head – you fulfill my fantasy_

_In my head – you'll be screaming ohhh_

_In my head, it's going down_

**Jason Derulo – 'In My Head'**

**Part IV**

Chloe wiped her hands on her napkin as the waiter took their plates away. "That was probably the best meal I've had all month," she joked. "I usually live on coffee, muffins, and whatever takeout I can scrounge up on late nights at the _Planet_."

George smiled at her. "And I thought cops had the worst diet. I consider myself a foodie of sorts, though. Maybe I can introduce you to a few more of my favorite restaurants around the city."

Chloe waited for a feeling of anticipation or excitement at what was obviously a broad hint that he wanted to see her again. She'd been waiting for those feelings all night, and while she was having a good time with him, she didn't feel what she knew she _should_ be feeling. Seriously, what was wrong with her?

George Dean was smart, ambitious, and in Lois' words, a total hottie. He'd been a perfect gentleman all night, but it was clear by the way he was looking at her that he was attracted to her. Finally, here was a man who looked at her like she was a flesh and blood woman rather than a computer guru. He didn't want to be her best friend, and he wasn't looking for a sidekick to fight crime with. He just wanted her.

And yet, she couldn't stop her mind from recycling her argument with Oliver. It had been on a loop in her head for the last week, and she knew she couldn't avoid him forever. She was lucky to have escaped the meeting last night without having to talk to him. He'd clearly been agitated, so she knew he was probably worried about her radio silence during the previous week. The longer she avoided him the harder it would be, but it had been a blow to her pride when he looked so amused by the idea of her getting her kink on.

"Chloe, you okay?"

Chloe looked up to see George gazing at her with an expression of concern. "Sorry – I drifted for a minute. One of the hazards of being a writer," she continued with a smile.

"Well, we can't have you being bored. Ready to hit the dance floor?"

"Sure, but I'm going to visit the ladies' room first," she answered, pushing her chair back.

George stood immediately and took her hand as she stood, smiling down at her. He squeezed her hand. "Hurry back."

Chloe made her way through the club, admiring the colorful décor as she walked. Warm shades of red, orange, cream and brown coordinated well with the Cuban themed artwork on the walls, and while the furniture was in the chic, modern style one would expect of a top Metropolis club, it all managed to blend effortlessly. The beat of the music was also enticing, and she was looking forward to salsa dancing for the first time.

Several minutes later Chloe stood in front of the large mirror and reapplied her lip gloss, a berry shade that complemented her skin tone. She stepped back and smoothed her dress. Lois had been absolutely right about the purple dress she was wearing. Her loose, blonde curls barely touched the tops of her shoulders, and she had allowed Lois to help with her makeup. Her cousin had created a smoky eye effect with a mix of plum and pale grey shadows that really made her eyes pop. The silver hoops and bracelet she was wearing had the right touch of sophistication, and the high, silver heels made her legs look a mile long.

Without a doubt this was the hottest she'd looked since… well, in recent memory, anyway. She'd gone all out for this date, and George had definitely taken notice which was exactly what she wanted. So why wasn't she happier to have his undivided attention? Her thoughts were interrupted when two women walked into the lounge, giggling. A tall, sleek redhead stepped up to the mirror and was immediately joined by her friend. _Metropolis socialites_, Chloe thought. The top designer dresses, shoes and bags were a dead giveaway.

"He is so mine," the redhead was saying as she admired herself in the mirror.

"Why do you get him? Besides, I think he prefers brunettes," her raven haired companion retorted.

The redhead smirked. "We could probably both have him if we were into threesomes."

"I have no doubt he'd be into that based on his rep," the darker haired girl laughed. "But I'd prefer to have all of his considerable skills focused on me."

"A competition it is, then."

Chloe rolled her eyes as she left the restroom, wondering if all socialites were that silly. George was waiting for her in the hallway.

"What's so funny?" He asked as he slid his arm around her.

"One of Metropolis' most eligible bachelors must have made an appearance," Chloe replied as they walked to the large bar that separated the restaurant from the dance club. "A couple of women were arguing over who gets dibs."

George laughed, squeezing her hip. "Well, just as long as he doesn't want you."

"I don't see that being a problem," she said, smiling back at him a little ruefully.

"Yeah, well, I'm going to err on the safe side and remain vigilant," George murmured, leaning close to her when they stopped at the bar. "You look far too tempting, and I've noticed the way every guy here has been looking at you."

Chloe doubted that, but it was sweet of him to say it, so she didn't argue with him. "So what do you recommend?"

"Cuba is famous for its white rum, so you could try one of the rum cocktails. My sister loves the Cuban Rose, but she has them make it with pineapple-orange juice rather than just orange juice." At Chloe's nod, George placed their drink orders.

When their drinks arrived, Chloe sipped hers carefully. "Wow, it's good and not as strong as I was expecting."

"I've heard the bartending staff is excellent here," George commented. "They seem to mix the drinks well."

"So, how is it that you know so much about Cuban food and drinks?" Chloe asked.

"My mother's family came from Cuba, actually."

"Well, that explains it. You probably actually know how to salsa dance, don't you?"

He shrugged modestly and grinned at her. "I might have done it a few times at weddings."

Chloe groaned. "I have this terrible feeling I'm going to embarrass myself out there."

"No way – I'll teach you," he promised, his eyes warm as he met hers.

Chloe blushed and took a sip of her drink as she glanced around the club. There was a low table and a couple of couches in the lounge area located to her left. Because of the number of people milling about, she couldn't see who was sitting there, but she could see the two women from the restroom standing off to the side looking for an in. Suddenly, a few of the people moved and redhead was off much to Chloe's amusement. She took another sip of her cocktail and nearly choked on it when she saw Oliver sitting on one of the couches.

She coughed a little, and George leaned in, resting his hand on her back. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him, moving a little so that George was blocking her.

Chloe preferred that Oliver not see her, though she doubted he would approach her while he was busy reinforcing his playboy image. She knew that he made himself very visible to the paparazzi at least once or twice a month. It was a smart move since he didn't want the media speculating too much on his private life. He gave them what they wanted, and they pretty much left him alone the rest of the time. It worked out well for everyone.

She peeked around George and was startled to see Oliver looking right at them. She scooted back a little even though she knew he'd definitely seen her. So much for escaping his notice.

"Is something wrong? You seem nervous all of a sudden," George commented, looking confused.

"Sorry, I just thought I saw someone I know," she answered. "I think I'm ready for those salsa lessons."

George didn't look convinced, but before he could reply, they were interrupted.

"Chloe."

George turned, his surprise evident at seeing Oliver Queen standing behind him. Brows raised slightly, he looked back at Chloe.

Chloe bit her lip and forced a smile, wondering what Oliver was doing. "Oliver, it's nice to see you again."

"Really? I'd believe that except for the fact that you haven't returned any of my calls this week." His gaze was challenging.

_What the hell?_ Chloe's mouth fell open, and she looked over at George. "Uhm…"

George looked between them. "I take it you know each other?"

Before Chloe could say anything, Oliver spoke. "As it happens, we know each other very well."

Chloe's eyes widened at that. Didn't Oliver realize how that sounded? And she could see that George was drawing the wrong conclusions. "I've done some consulting work for Oliver before – kind of a side gig since I'm good with computers. Oliver, this is my date, George Dean." She stressed the word date as she gave him a pointed look. "George, Oliver Queen."

George didn't look convinced, but he held a hand out to Oliver. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. Queen."

Oliver shook his hand briefly before turning his attention back to Chloe. "I need to talk to you."

"Oliver, it's Friday night and we're both otherwise occupied." She nodded toward his table. "I'm sure it can wait until Monday." She tried to walk around Oliver, but he blocked her.

"I think we both know this isn't about business, Chloe," Oliver said, looking determined.

Chloe was going to kill him. She took a deep breath and looked at George. "I am so sorry. Would you give us just a minute?"

George looked between them for a moment but then nodded. "I'll be right over here." He gestured toward the doorway that led to the salsa club.

Chloe waited until George left and glared at Oliver. "What the hell is wrong with you, Oliver? Don't you realize what he's thinking?"

Oliver shrugged. "Not my problem. Right now, my problem is that you're avoiding me."

She struggled to hold onto her temper. "Not your problem? You know what will be your problem? When you go to work on Monday to find all your servers shut down. And don't think I can't do it."

"Oh, I know you can, but you won't. Look, Chloe, all I'm asking for is five minutes." Oliver reached out and cupped her shoulder.

Chloe jumped at the warmth of his hand against her bare skin. She ignored the burst of electricity that seemed to be lighting up her entire central nervous system. "Oliver, I'm not mad – at least, not about last weekend. I am upset that you're crashing my date so rudely. I can't even imagine what George must be thinking. I swear that I will call you tomorrow, but right now I'm busy."

She walked away from Oliver and joined George by the entrance to the dance club. "Sorry about that."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just ready to dance now." She did her best to smile, but she knew it was forced.

Chloe allowed George to lead her onto the dance floor, and after a few minutes she began to relax. George was a great dancer, leading her through the salsa steps effortlessly. She laughed as he twirled her out and back, his strong arms coming around her. But her steps faltered when she glanced up and saw Oliver staring at them from the edge of the dance floor.

George sensed the change in her mood immediately and followed her gaze to Oliver. "He doesn't give up easily, I take it. Do you want me to talk to him?"

Chloe sighed. "No, but maybe it's better to just call it a night." Clearly, Oliver was determined to horn in on her date. She couldn't imagine why he was acting this way, but she'd had enough. She followed George off the dance floor and waited while he got their coats from the coat check. She felt a hand on her arm and turned to see Oliver behind her.

"Chloe, please. I need to talk to you." All of his earlier posturing was gone, and his brown eyes held a hint of uncertainty as he looked at her.

Chloe hesitated, torn. She looked up to see that George had returned and was staring at them, his expression unreadable. "Just… wait a minute."

She joined George by the exit. "Would you mind waiting for a few minutes while I talk to him?"

George looked at Oliver and then back at Chloe. "Look, I don't know what's going on between you two, but I have a pretty good idea. And if you'd rather stay here with him, then I get it."

"No, it's not that…"

He interrupted her as he handed over her jacket. "Chloe, it's okay. I'll wait outside for five minutes, and if you don't call or come out, I'll go ahead and leave. If you need me later, you can call me but… I think you two should straighten this out before things go any further between us."

Chloe sighed, knowing nothing she said was going to convince him that things weren't like that with Oliver. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too." He kissed her cheek and smiled before walking away.

Oliver stiffened when he saw George lean in to kiss Chloe. Ever since he'd arrived and saw Chloe at the bar with the detective, he'd been fighting the urge to physically pry them apart. George had been touching her all night, and it was driving him crazy.

And Chloe was making him even crazier in the purple dress she was wearing. He'd never seen her wearing a skirt that short, and the silver heels she was wearing made her legs look long and delectable. Her shoulders were bare aside from a single strap that crossed her left shoulder, and her pale skin seemed to glow beneath the club lights. She looked sexy and confident, and he felt uncharacteristically out of his depth all of a sudden.

He saw George leaving, and Chloe turned and walked back to him, looking frustrated.

"I really hope you have a good explanation for this, Oliver. And it better involve the world ending."

So, she was angry. He could work with that. "You look beautiful tonight, by the way."

She opened her mouth and then closed it again, apparently confused. "Oliver, what is going on with you tonight? Have you been drinking?"

"Not a drop," he replied easily, some of his confidence returning as she looked up at him. "I know you're not happy that I let George think we were having a lover's spat, but I didn't want you going home with him."

"Ok, I have no idea what's going on here," Chloe said. "Why wouldn't you want him to drive me home?"

"Because I don't want you to sleep with him." There – that should be clear enough.

Chloe's mouth fell open again. For once, she appeared to be completely speechless. Finally, she managed to reply. "Forget drinking – are you high or something? Did Clark put you up to this? Because if he did, I'm going to kill both of you."

"Chloe, this has nothing to do with Clark or even George, for that matter. This is about you and me, and the fact that if you want to explore a different side of things in the bedroom, I want it to be with me." Maybe that sounded better in his head, but at least he had finally gotten to the point.

"This is about the stuff I bought? You thought I'd use it with George, so you decided to torpedo my date with him?" She looked livid. "God, I can't even… I can't do this right now." She turned away, but not before he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes.

"Chloe, did you even hear what I said?" Oliver followed her down the hallway toward the ladies' room and caught her arm.

"You know, I've come to expect the big brother routine from Clark, but you are way out of line, Oliver."

He grasped her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "The last thing I feel toward you is brotherly, Chloe. I'm saying I want you. Come home with me."

Chloe stared up at him in disbelief. "What?"

Oliver started to repeat himself, but he lost his whole train of thought as he stared into her eyes. They seemed to be a deeper shade of green than usual, lit by the tiny flecks of yellow he could see in their depths. He leaned her back against the wall and kissed her, his hand sliding up into her hair and cradling the back of her head gently.

She made a tiny noise; not quite protest, but a sort of shocked squeak as her body stiffened against him. He pulled her closer, wrapping his left arm tightly around her as he drew her against his body. He put every ounce of the desire and frustration he'd been feeling all week into that kiss, and it seemed to go on forever. He pulled back a little, intending to talk to her, but Chloe suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

Oliver didn't know how long they stood there in the darkened hallway, kissing each other again and again. It felt surreal, but it was also the best feeling he'd had in as long as he could remember. A rush of pure need coursed through him as her small body pressed against his, and the breathy little sounds she made as his hands moved down and cupped her hips, pulling her up harder against him, made him want to take her up against the wall right there in the club.

Reluctantly, he pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. "Come home with me. Please."

Chloe opened her eyes and stared back at him, and he could see the vulnerability there, the uncertainty about what had just happened between them. "Ollie…"

"Shh," he said soothingly, cupping the side of her face. "Do you trust me?"

She hesitated for only a moment before nodding, her eyes never leaving his.

"Then come home with me." He waited, dreading the moment when she might end this before it even started.

Suddenly, she reached up and ran her hand across his jaw and around to the back of his neck. "Okay."

He kissed her again, slowly. "Let's go."

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this! Oh, and a reader asked me who I imagined as George Dean – I didn't have a lot of time to look for photos, but I'd say like a dark eyed Henry Cavill, but only certain photos fit my image of George (not the new Superman ones.) If you have a better suggestion, please share.**


	5. Chapter 5

]

**A/N: This chapter earns the M rating, though I tried to keep it from being too graphic and more sensual/erotic. This was essentially a writing assignment, so I'm actually looking for honest feedback on how well you guys can relate to this, how the emotional aspect of it works, etc. I'd appreciate any and all constructive comments. Also, I'm living in the Middle East right now, and the Internet connection on my compound is rather crappy. I usually try to respond to all reviews, so if I don't reply then it's because of that and I apologize now. I'll try to get to that soon, and I'll be posting updates as often as possible. Thanks for reading! **

**Part V**

Chloe was feeling more than a little self-conscious by the time they got back to the penthouse. The past hour seemed almost like a dream, and she still couldn't quite believe that Oliver had ambushed her date and kissed her senseless at the club earlier. The dark hallway had been like a bubble, a private island all their own, and it felt like he'd kissed her there for hours.

Then he asked her to come home with him. At first she thought she must have misunderstood him, but one look at his eyes assured her she hadn't. She'd never seen anyone look at her with such naked hunger before. The intensity of the moment had been a little scary as she tried to organize her jumbled thoughts, and there hadn't been any time to think. Impulsively she'd agreed because the one thing she was certain of was that she would probably never have a chance like this, and with a man like Oliver, ever again.

They had stopped by her dorm briefly for her to grab an overnight bag, and she threw the Love Stuff products in at Oliver's request. And now they were here alone in his penthouse. Knowing what was about to happen, and who it was about to happen with, made her heart rate kick up and her breathing a little uneven as butterflies danced in her stomach. But Oliver didn't give her too much time for nerves or second thoughts to set in.

In his living room he lifted her against the wall, bringing her to eye level. "So what's your safe word Sullivan?"

His voice was low as he spoke, sending shivers down her spine. He leaned into her, noses touching, eyes locked together.

_Safe word? Oh._ She held her breath, eyes falling shut for a moment as he lowered his mouth to her cheek, kissing her softly. When she opened them, she saw a bowl of green apples on the table. "Apples," she whispered a bit unsteadily.

Oliver leaned back to look at her, his mouth quirking up on one side. "My favorite fruit – and appropriate." He lowered his mouth to her jaw, kissing her there, and then moved to her neck. "You smell like apples."

"That's… that's… my body wash. And lotion." They weren't even in his bedroom yet and she was already a quivering mass of nerve endings. She lifted her hands hesitantly, stroking her fingers along the base of his neck.

"I like it," he murmured. "Makes me wonder if you smell like apples everywhere; and it makes me wonder what you taste like." He rocked his hips between her legs suggestively.

Arousal shot through her, and she instinctively tightened her legs at his waist. God, she was so turned on she felt ready to come at any moment. Even without an orgasm, this was already the most erotic encounter she'd ever had.

Oliver lowered her to her feet, leading her by the hand up the stairs and to the back where his bedroom was located. He dropped her bag beside the bed and turned to her, his hands sliding down her arms and then to her hips as he pulled her closer. He kissed her more urgently, and she didn't notice that he had lowered the zipper of her dress until she felt the strap falling off her shoulder.

Chloe pulled back and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down a little. The dim lighting in his bedroom was soft and flattering. It made the moment more surreal, giving her the confidence to continue. Moving away from Oliver, she allowed the dress to fall to the floor. The silky fabric pooled at her feet and she stepped out of it, feeling wanton as the cool air hit her exposed skin.

She kicked off her heels as well before she grasped the front of his shirt, fingers nimbly unfastening the buttons and pushing the material off his shoulders. Her hands moved across his skin slowly as she familiarized herself with his body. And what a body it was, too, every muscle tight and defined. She gave in to the urge to kiss his chest, and she felt him draw in a sharp breath as her tongue touched his skin in a brief caress.

Oliver picked her up, carried her over to the bed and turned away for a moment. She heard him open her bag, apparently searching for something. Then he moved to lie next to her, propping himself up on one arm so he could look at her. Chloe met his gaze even as she felt her cheeks flushing. She was still wearing her bra and panties, and the way he was looking at her made her spine tingle in anticipation.

Running one hand down her torso gently, he skimmed her stomach with the barest brush of his fingertips. She inhaled sharply, gooseflesh rising on her skin. Oliver lowered his head and kissed her neck gently, drawing a whimper from her. He licked the skin beneath her ear and then moved down to bury his face against the curve where neck met shoulder. When he bit down on the sensitive flesh there, Chloe's entire body arched up as she gasped.

His mouth moved back to her ear, teeth scraping her earlobe. "Ever had your G-spot tickled?"

Chloe tried to concentrate on what he was saying. She wasn't sure she even knew where her G-spot was, so she guessed the answer was no. It was something she'd long ago decided must be a sex myth. Unable to form actual words, she shook her head. She opened her eyes to see Oliver lounging beside her on the bed. He was long and lean and golden like something out of a story about long ago warriors. She couldn't believe they were here like this, that he wanted her this way.

She jumped again when his hand drifted almost lazily down her abdomen and between her legs. She moved her thighs further apart in response to his questing fingers. Wanting to touch him too, she reached out to run her hand down the side of his neck and shoulder. But she lost all rational thought when she felt his fingers on her panties. He rubbed her, pressing against her hard, and a wave of desire spread through her core. Her hips moved jerkily in response and suddenly he was kneeling over her, pulling her panties down her legs.

Oliver ran both of his big hands along her sides, her hips, and then to her thighs, hooking them behind her knees. Chloe felt him pulling her closer, the soft material of his jeans feeling strangely erotic as it brushed against her bare skin. When his fingers touched her again, she was startled by the strange sensation of something soft but foreign against her slick flesh. She looked down and saw that one of his fingers was covered in a silicone sleeve. The sleeve had small nodules on it, and the end had soft little silicone tendrils like short tentacles.

Chloe was momentarily distracted when Oliver leaned over her, biting the soft skin of her stomach gently. She moaned, closing her eyes again – and then she felt his finger slide into her. The little nodules stimulated her sensitive flesh, causing her to arch her hips up sharply. But Oliver's other hand pressed down on her pelvis to hold her steady as he began rubbing circles against the little bundle of nerves directly below.

She had never felt anything like the sensations shooting through her core; the dual stimulation was almost too much to bear. Her body moved seemingly of its own accord as it sought release, and she grasped the soft sheets beneath her almost desperately. Oliver kept up a steady rhythm, completely focused on the pleasure he was giving her. She couldn't look away from him, and the only sounds were her small whimpers and pleas for something she couldn't even verbalize. After a few moments he curled his finger up, and she felt a tickling sensation _inside_ in the same place he was rubbing outside. She convulsed within seconds, splintering apart into the kaleidoscope of colors bursting in her brain.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she slowly drifted down. Chloe tried to process what she was feeling, but it was too much and she brought one hand up to cover her eyes. She felt Oliver beside her, arms coming around her to pull her against him. She pressed her face against his chest, her body still shuddering slightly.

"Are you ok?" His voice was rough as he rubbed his hand gently up and down her back.

She couldn't speak, but she swallowed hard and nodded.

"If anything is too much, just tell me to stop," he reminded her.

Chloe sighed. "I've just never felt…" God, how did she even begin to communicate what he'd just made her feel when she had no reference point at all for it?

"You've never felt anything that intense during sex?" Oliver prompted.

She shook her head and made an attempt to lighten the mood. "Don't let it go to your head, though."

He laughed, hugging her to him. "Not my head we need to worry about it going to." He took her hand and pressed it to the bulge in the front of his jeans. "Did it make you feel good?"

"God, yes," she replied, curling her fingers around him.

Oliver drew in a breath and pulled away slightly. Her eyes followed him as he slid the sleeve from his finger and then stood to remove his jeans and boxers. He reached into the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a foil packet before moving back onto the bed. He placed the packet on the bed and straddled her, hands covering her breasts. Pulling her up into a sitting position, he unfastened the clasp of her bra and removed it, tossing it to the side.

Chloe fell back against the pillow, lifting her knees up as he covered her body with his. He kissed her hard, and she gripped his arms as their lips parted and came together in a mating dance again and again. She rubbed her hands down his back, scraping her nails against him gently. He pulled back and stared down at her.

"I want to make you feel good," he whispered, the fingers of one hand sliding gently into her hair. He massaged her scalp and kissed her, this time more softly. After a moment he sat up. She watched him tear open the foil packet and slide the condom on quickly. He leaned over her again, rubbing a hand over her cheek. "How long has it been for you?"

Chloe couldn't contain her blush, which was ridiculous after what had just happened. "A few months – close to five, actually," she admitted.

Oliver drew her legs up around his waist, moving against her. "I'll go slowly, ok?"

And he did, entering her so carefully it made her ache with need. Chloe wrapped her arms around him even as his arms moved under her. It hurt a little, but at the same time it felt good, and she made an effort to relax as she adjusted to his presence inside her.

"Still ok?" He moved his hand higher and cupped the back of her neck. He stilled for a moment as he kissed her lips and then the tip of her nose.

"Yeah," Chloe replied softly, tightening her arms around him. She was surprised by how gentle and caring he was being with her. Not because she didn't think he had it in him to be that way – it was more that if she had ever given any thought to Oliver in the bedroom, she would have pictured him being more aggressive. When his hand moved to the side of her face, she turned her head and kissed his palm.

She tilted her hips up when he began a steady, thrusting movement; his body settled more firmly against hers, every inch of their skin meeting and sliding together. And then he was kissing her again, lifting her legs and moving faster. Soon she was climbing that summit, higher this time, and she held onto him tightly as the pleasure ebbed and flowed.

Oliver watched her carefully for that moment when she let go. He wanted to record it in his mind, memorize every touch and her reaction to it. Every sound and move she made was making him so hot he had trouble hanging onto his control. He managed it until he felt her body tighten around him and then his own release ripped through him.

He lay against her, arms shaking as they supported his weight, and it took a minute for him to work up the energy to move away from her. Chloe murmured, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead gently. He could tell she was starting to drift off, so he got up, disposed of the condom and pulled three soft washcloths from his linen closet. Running them under hot water, he used one to wipe over his own body before tossing it aside. He walked back to the bed and sat down beside Chloe, running the warm cloths over her gently.

She stirred sleepily. "Shh," he said quietly. "I just want to make you more comfortable."

Oliver knew his behavior was more solicitous and caring than usual. He pushed the thought away, not wanting to examine it too closely. It was Chloe, and she was his friend, so that was bound to make a difference. There was nothing odd about wanting to take care of her.

He threw the wet cloths in the hamper and lay next to her once more. She was already asleep, arms around one of his pillows. Oliver pushed her hair away from her face gently and pulled the blanket up to cover her before closing his eyes. Several minutes later he opened them with a sigh.

He moved over carefully, not wanting to wake her, and pulled the pillow from her grasp. Then he wrapped his arms around her. Her smaller frame curled into him, drawn to his warmth, and he ran his hand down the satiny smooth skin of her back in a soothing gesture. He usually liked his space after sex, but he told himself not to overthink it. Chloe was warm and sweet, and she felt good in his arms. That was all there was to it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part VI**

Oliver lay facing the sleeping woman beside him as dawn broke through the darkness of his bedroom. He'd awoken nearly an hour before but instead of getting up and going to his workout room like he usually did, he was just staring at her. He kept expecting to feel that he and Chloe crossing the friendship line was a mistake. She was far less experienced when it came to sexual encounters, and the last thing he wanted was for his own jaded views about such things to rub off on her. She deserved better than that.

But he didn't have regrets. Oliver knew that Chloe had a mind of her own, and she was not the type to do something unless she wanted to. And frankly, if she was determined to add to her sexual repertoire, he was fine with being her research tool. He really did believe she was safer with him than she would be with some random guy like Detective Dean, sterling nice guy reputation aside.

Last night had also proven that he and Chloe were more than compatible in the bedroom. That had come as something of a surprise given her overall inexperience. His plan had been to show her what she could feel in the arms of an experienced lover. He hadn't expected to feel anything different himself, yet he had. Her responses were honest and real, and the way she looked at him, the way she responded to him and touched him – he wasn't sure he'd ever experienced anything like it before. It warmed places inside him that he'd all but forgotten about over the years.

Being friends probably had something to do with it, but he was beginning to think Chloe might have a thing or two to teach him as well. He was in Metropolis for an indefinite period of time, and neither of them was seeing anyone at the moment. He also didn't have to hide anything related to his crime fighting alter ego. It was the perfect time to get to know each other on a more personal level and relieve a little stress along the way.

Oliver did wonder exactly what she had in mind for bondage and fetish play. He was also still having a hard time with the idea that Chloe had even bought all of the things he'd seen in her bags. Not that he really had a problem trying out any of the items – none of it was even that far out of vanilla territory for him. A few of his encounters during his much younger and wilder days gave kinky a whole new name, but he had soon become bored with the kind of women drawn to that scene. He seriously doubted that feeling bored with Chloe was going to be an issue, but he wanted to make sure she understood that type of thing before they tried it. The last thing he wanted was for her to freak out and run away because they had a failure to communicate.

Oliver ran a hand across her bare hip, watching as she shivered even in her sleep. He was still amazed by how responsive she was – every brush of his fingers or lips on her skin garnered a reaction that made him want her all over again. He pulled her a little closer, pushing his erection against the soft skin of her stomach. One hand caressed her hip as he kissed her shoulder, and he felt her stir against him.

Chloe's brain felt a little foggy as she woke instinctively knowing she wasn't at her dorm. It didn't take her long to remember though. _Oliver_, she thought, feeling his hard body against hers. She sighed and raised her arms to wrap around his neck as he moved her to lie on her back and covered her body with his. Her thighs fell open automatically, and she jumped when she felt his hard flesh pressing against her.

She opened her eyes to find him hovering above her, just looking at her. She'd expected to feel some embarrassment over being with him, but all she felt was desire. The desire to touch him and to have him touch her. The desire to do everything all over again because it had been the best thing she'd ever felt. Chloe knew Oliver had been with too many women to even count. And maybe it was foolish, but she'd felt special when he touched her. She knew he cared about her because they were friends, and that was probably all it was. But even now the way he was looking at her seemed different. She wasn't just another warm body to him.

Chloe raised her hand and traced the line of his brow with her fingers, trailing them lightly down his cheek and caressing his jaw. Her thumb found the cleft in his chin and explored it. _He smells so good_, she thought a little dizzily. She ran a hand across his jaw, enjoying the feel of his early morning stubble against her palm. Her eyes met his once more and he leaned down to kiss her. His kisses were slower, more languorous than the night before, and she arched up into him in an almost feline way, bringing their lower bodies into closer contact.

She whimpered as he began a rocking motion against her, sending a melting sensation through her core. She was already wet, and that was surprising because that was something that usually took a lot more foreplay. She dimly wondered if she should be a little embarrassed by how fast she responded to him. She pushed the thought away as his lips left hers and trailed down her neck, sending little bolts of electricity through her body. She cried out when she felt his tongue on her breast, and he began suckling first one hard peak and then the other.

Oliver continued the rocking motion between her legs as he played with her breasts. Chloe could feel the tight coil in her lower abdomen – she lifted her legs and pushed her hips up against his almost desperately, her fingernails digging into his lower back as she sought release. She strained against him as she moaned, "Ollie, please."

Oliver lifted his head from her breasts, his own breathing uneven as he pushed against her harder. Fuck, she was wet, and he was dying to be inside her already. One more push against her sent her over the edge, and the way she moaned and bucked beneath him had him teetering closer to his own release than he'd like. He sat back and quickly reached for a condom, tearing the package and desperately sliding it over his hard length. He lifted her hips and bent one leg up to ease his entry as he pushed into her tight heat.

She cried out as he entered her, but he didn't see any discomfort on her face as she leaned up to press her lips to his jaw before fusing her mouth to his. He held himself still as they shared deep, hot kisses, and Chloe was one hell of a kisser. _Jimmy is a fucking idiot_, he thought dimly. He supported his weight partially on his left arm and lifted her leg a bit higher as he began to thrust. He kept the pace slow for a few minutes, but his control was rapidly diminishing as he felt her moving beneath him. She was close, and he stopped moving for a moment.

"No…" Chloe protested, thrusting her hips up desperately as she squirmed beneath him.

"Fuck, Chloe," Oliver bit out as he grit his teeth. He took a deep breath and then began to rotate his hips against her sensitive flesh, rubbing her in a way he knew would set her off. He buried his head against the base of her neck and bit down lightly as he felt her convulse beneath him.

Chloe was boneless in the wake of her second orgasm. She felt Oliver pulling away from her, surprising since he was still just as hard as he'd been when they started.

"Turn over," he whispered, kissing her gently.

Oh God. Liquid heat started blooming through her belly and thighs again as she turned to lie on her stomach. She'd just had two spine tingling orgasms – there was no way she could go again, was there? But her body seemed to have other ideas as she felt him behind her. He licked a trail down the curve of her spine before cupping her ass in his large hands, squeezing a bit roughly. She whimpered, her hips pushing against his hands as if they had a mind of their own.

He squeezed again. "You have the most perfect ass I've ever seen," he said, his voice rough and uneven.

Under ordinary circumstances she'd have called bullshit on that. Oliver had dated A-list actresses and supermodels, so she doubted that her ass – or any other part of her – was up for that competition. Those thoughts flew right out of her head when she felt his lips trail down to said ass, and she groaned as he bit her there, sucking lightly.

Then he was behind her again, and inside her, this time setting a fast pace as he thrust deeply. His weight pressed her toward the mattress and she grasped at the sheets with one hand as Oliver held the other tightly. His right arm came around her, squeezing her breast before moving down between her legs, rubbing firmly in tandem with his thrusts. Chloe pushed her hips back against his as she came, spots dancing in her vision, and she felt Oliver thrust against her hard once, twice, before his own release hit. He lay against her for a few minutes before he pulled away, and she allowed her eyes to drift shut as sleep claimed her.

When Chloe woke, the full light of morning was streaming through the blinds and Oliver was still sleeping peacefully beside her, his arm across her waist. She turned her head on the pillow to look at him, careful to keep her movements quiet so as not to wake him. His face was turned away from the light, and he looked so handsome it sent a little ache through her chest. She'd just had the five best orgasms of her life in the space of a few hours. How was she supposed to forget about that and go back to being Oliver's trusty Watchtower?

_Suck it up, Sullivan. You knew last night that this was a one-off. Oliver is not going to suddenly make flowery gestures and confess his love for you – be realistic._ She sighed and moved carefully off the bed and into the bathroom, gathering her clothes on the way. Her body was sore in the best possible way, and a few faint marks were silent reminders of how Oliver had touched her the night before. She washed up and dressed, feeling self-conscious and not looking forward to the walk of shame she was going to have to do later when she went back to her dorm. At least she had her dress coat – the heels, however, were a dead giveaway.

She emerged from the bathroom and with shoes in hand, she tip-toed quietly out of the room and downstairs to the kitchen. Stay and face the morning after or make a run for it? She was sorely tempted to hightail it back to her dorm and send Oliver a text letting him know she was fine and thanking him for a great night. Only the knowledge that he would likely follow after her kept her there. If they were going to talk this through, the last thing she wanted was an audience or the possibility that Clark might interrupt them.

So she set about making coffee, pulling out her phone to check her messages. Lois had texted her repeatedly, wanting to know how her hot date had gone. _If only she knew_, Chloe thought ruefully. Now that she was thinking with a clear head again, she wondered if Lois would mind that she had hooked up with her ex. Not that Lois and Oliver were like that anymore, but still – she'd kind of broken a cardinal girl rule. If the situation was reversed, she wouldn't want to see Lois with Jimmy. That image elicited a giggle as she imagined the hell Lois would put Jimmy through in a relationship.

"You're in a good mood."

Chloe jumped, swallowing hard as she turned to look at Oliver. He was leaning against the doorway, smiling at her, looking good enough to… yeah, don't go there. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. Hungry?" He moved into the kitchen, and she felt her heart rate speed up as he got closer. She had a terrible feeling that was going to be a recurring problem whenever she was with him. Clearly, she hadn't thought the situation through very well. Instead she'd allowed her hormones to lead her into a one night stand with a man she was helplessly attracted to and had no hope of avoiding in the future. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

"I'm fine with coffee," she managed to reply, gesturing to her cup.

"You know, coffee is not a food group, Chloe," he teased her as he leaned down and kissed her.

Chloe stiffened slightly as she tried to clamp down on her hormones, and she pulled away from him. "I disagree," she said lightly, hopping down off the stool and taking her cup over to the sink. Without looking at him, she continued. "Thanks for… last night. It was very educational." _It was very educational? Nice, Chloe. _"Uhm, and fun. Definitely fun and educational. I should go, though – get back to the dorm. I have a paper to finish writing, and I have some research I need to do for an article. Kahn is a stickler for details, and I have to be on my toes if I want a permanent position when I graduate." She rinsed out her cup, biting her lip at the silence behind her. "And I have laundry – I really hate doing laundry at the dorm, you know, sharing the washers and dryers. I guess I could haul it all to Smallville and use Clark's, he doesn't mind." Great, now she was just babbling. _He doesn't care what your plans are for the rest of the weekend_, she mentally chided herself. She gathered her courage and turned to look at Oliver.

He had the strangest expression on his face, seemingly both amused and confused. He cleared his throat. "Laundry, huh? Sounds exciting. I had plans, too." He moved across the room and pinned her in against the counter. "And since they involved fucking you in every room of my apartment for the rest of the weekend, I'd really like it if you stuck around."

_Holy hell_. "What?"

Oliver lifted her onto the counter and met her eyes. "I think we got our wires crossed last night, Chloe. When I asked you to come home with me, I wasn't suggesting a one night stand."

"You weren't?"

"No – more of an arrangement." He bent his head and kissed her neck.

"An arrangement?" _What the hell did that mean_, she wondered, eyes drifting shut against her will as his lips brushed her neck. She pulled away and tried to corral her thoughts into some semblance of order. "Oliver, we can't… date. I mean I guess we can, but there's Lois, and the team, and Clark… I think it's better if they don't know what happened between us."

"And I'm not suggesting we advertise it," he countered. "What I mean is that you're not seeing anyone, and I'm not seeing anyone… so maybe we could see each other. Naked. As often as possible. After all, you've still got a whole bag of goodies we haven't even pulled out yet."

Chloe's heart sank – this was about Oliver's idea that she'd suddenly gained a desire to explore bondage and fetish play. She should've known that Oliver would never be interested in just her. "I have a confession to make about the stuff I bought. I never intended to actually use any of it."

Oliver looked at her curiously. "Okay. Then why did you buy it?"

Chloe felt her cheeks flushing. God, this was embarrassing. "That night I came over here, I ran into Jimmy with his new girlfriend. I just didn't want to deal with them, so I went into the closest shop, and it turned out to be Love Stuff. And then they came in, and Jimmy was being a condescending jackass about my presence in that store, like the idea of me buying sex products was… out of the realm of possibility. And so I bought a few things. I had every intention of returning most of it." She looked up at Oliver, feeling nervous.

His expression was unreadable. "Why didn't you just tell me that?"

Chloe threw her hands up in exasperation. "I don't know – maybe because you pissed me off too, teasing me about it. Between you and Jimmy, I felt like some sexless workaholic with no life. I mean, I'm not a prude, Oliver. But if the reason for your sudden interest is that you think I'm some kind of closet… kink beast…"

Oliver's lips twitched. "Kink beast?" He laughed, pulling away when she slapped his chest. "Ow."

She scowled at him. "It's not funny."

"I'm sorry, but yeah, it's kind of funny. And I definitely did not think you were a closet kink beast."

She looked at him in confusion. "Then why, all of a sudden, are you so interested?"

"Not all of a sudden, Chloe. I've acknowledged a passing interest before, I just chose not to pursue it – pretty much for the same reasons you stated before – Lois, Clark, and the team. But here we are, the morning after. We can't exactly unring that bell. And now every time I look at you, I'm going to be thinking about how you sound when you're coming apart underneath me. I don't need kinky toys to be attracted to you."

Chloe's heart leapt wildly. "You're suggesting that we keep… seeing each other. In secret." _Bad idea – tell him it's a bad idea. You are in way over your head, and the water's only going to get deeper from here. Tell him._ She ignored the voice of reason. "How would that work?"

"Exactly the way it did last night," he replied with a smirk, leaning in to kiss her. "When we're available, we see each other. And personally, I vote that you don't return _all_ of the love stuff – you have no idea how many fantasies I've had this week involving you and that sexy cop costume. We don't have to use anything you're not comfortable with, but if you want to broaden your horizons a little…" he lowered his head to kiss the sensitive skin beneath her jaw, "I'd be more than happy to lend my expertise."

She drew in an unsteady breath, her knees parting to allow him to move in closer. It was a bad idea on so many levels she couldn't even list them all. She wasn't sophisticated enough, or experienced enough, to play this game without the possibility of getting hurt. "And what happens when it's over?"

He pulled back, frowning a little. "Kind of a defeatist attitude."

"More like realistic." She arched a brow and waited.

"Then we're still friends, Chloe. I do actually care about you, you know."

Her expression softened. He'd certainly demonstrated that the night before. "I know."

Oliver pulled her closer. "So?"

She took a deep breath, ignoring the warnings that little voice was still frantically tossing around in her head. "Okay. I'm in." She shrieked as he suddenly pulled her off the counter and lifted her against him.

Oliver smiled at her. "So, I'm free this weekend. How about you get what you need from your dorm and come back over? I'll let you use my washing machine and everything."

Chloe ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him. "Sounds like a plan." Bad idea or not, she wanted to be with him again, wanted to feel the way he'd made her feel the night before. She'd deal with the consequences later.

**A/N: I appreciate all of the support for this story, and I hope if you're reading that you enjoy the update. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N – This part rated R – nothing too explicit though. Also, I want to apologize for not responding to reviews as I usually do. I don't have the greatest Internet right now, and posting anything (even a reply here or a comment at LJ) takes a while. I do want to thank everyone who is reading though, and a special thanks for reviews. Part VIII will be up this week. I'm editing it (again) but I want to post the final three parts as soon as I can. Based on editing I think it will be 10 parts - if something's too long to post, it might go to 12, but right now I'm going with 10. Hope you enjoy the update!**

**Part VII**

Chloe leaned against the counter of her Lois' small kitchen and raised a dubious brow at the lumpy crepe batter her cousin was stirring. "I really don't think it's supposed to look like that, Lo. And besides, it's Clark. I'm not sure he even knows what a crepe is." Lois had apparently wheedled Clark into fixing her leaky sink with the promise of food, but Chloe knew Clark wasn't expecting anything fancy. It was, after all, Lois.

Lois pouted, raising the spoon and watching as a couple of the doughy-looking lumps fell back into the bowl. "This was for _me_, not Clark. My friend Jenny made these fantastic dessert crepes at a dinner party last weekend, and this is her recipe. It looked so easy – I don't know what happened."

Chloe figured Lois was what happened but refrained from reminding her cousin that of the many things she was good at, cooking was not among them. "Look, why don't we just run down to that bakery around the corner and grab something? We've ordered pizza and wings – it's not like it has to be gourmet."

"I'll go – you wait here in case the food or Clark arrives before I get back. I might stop at the video store too," Lois said as she turned the bowl upside down over the trash can. When nothing came out, she shook it until globs of the thick batter fell out. She made a face. "Stupid recipe. Oh, and I dropped my car off this afternoon for some maintenance, so I'll need your keys."

"In my bag," Chloe replied as she poked through the refrigerator. "And get some root beer while you're out. You have nothing to drink in here except water and juice that expired two months ago." When Lois didn't answer, she turned to see her cousin holding up two brightly colored condom packages. Crap – she'd forgotten those were in there.

Lois raised a brow. "Something you want to tell me?"

_Poker face, Chloe_. "Nope."

"Really?" Lois examined the small, plastic squares in her hand. "Red raspberry and tropical fruit flavors. I'm calling bullshit on the 'I was working' excuse you've been giving me and Clark for blowing us off the last few weeks. Maybe because you've been too busy bl-"

"Lois, do _not _finish that sentence," Chloe interrupted, fighting to keep the guilty flush from her cheeks, a tell that would be like blood in the water to her scarily intuitive cousin.

Lois crossed her arms. "You're definitely sleeping with… I have no idea who, but you're totally doing it with _someone_. Who is he?" When Chloe remained silent, Lois frowned. "God, please tell me you didn't backslide. I know celibacy is a bitch, but Jimmy is so not worth it."

"There was no backsliding," Chloe confirmed, rolling her eyes. "And if you don't leave now, both the food and Clark will arrive before you're back."

Lois held up the condoms. "Fine, I'm going. But we are not done with this topic. I just figured you might want to talk about it before Clark arrives so he doesn't have an aneurism. You know what sex talk does to him. I swear even his eyes get red sometimes."

Chloe threw up her hands in exasperation. "It's not a big deal, it's just… kind of a casual thing."

Eyes narrowing, her cousin regarded her. "Chloe, you don't do casual. You've never done casual hookups. The closest you came was Jimmy when you were sixteen, and you dated afterward. And you still said later that you wished you'd waited to cash in your v-card."

"Okay, well, I'm not a virgin now. I'm an adult, and I know what I'm doing. I can handle this." Chloe wondered who she was trying to convince – Lois or herself.

"Who is this guy, anyway?"

"No one, just… a friend. Sort of. We've been… seeing each other for about a month. And it'll probably be over soon, anyway. He's not into long term commitments, and you know I swore off serious relationships after breaking things off with Jimmy, at least for the time being. It's nice to be having fun for a change."

Lois opened her mouth but was interrupted by a knock on the door. She sighed before dropping the condoms back in Chloe's bag. "We are _not_ done with this conversation, just so you know," she commented as she left to answer the door.

Chloe closed her eyes and mentally cursed her forgetfulness even as she recalled the circumstances that had led her to carry the protection in the first place.

_Chloe checked her watch for the third time in as many minutes. Her contact was late, and the alley was both deserted and creepy, making her aware that it was not the ideal spot for a meeting. A short block up she could hear the busy sounds of people and traffic, but it seemed much further away than it had when she had checked out the location earlier that morning. She tightened her grip on the Taser in her bag as a precaution, keeping a wary eye on her surroundings. Just as she was getting ready to leave, she heard footsteps approaching. _

_Tiny Tim Turansky was anything but tiny as he emerged from the shifting shadows of the alley's dead end. Chloe wondered if there was another entrance she was unaware of or if he had been there all along watching her. Before her imagination could run too wild, she reminded herself that this meeting had been his idea and he had as much to gain from it as she did. _

"_Evening, Miss Chloe," he said. "Thank you for this meeting." His voice betrayed a faint Eastern European accent, though not one Chloe could immediately place; probably second generation, she thought._

"_Well, it's not every day a girl gets a call about a story this big," she replied, forcing a note of confidence into her voice that she wasn't quite feeling._

"_As I said before, I help you and you help me. It is win-win for everyone."_

"_Unless you're Vinnie Marcos," she pointed out, referring to the head of one of Metropolis' biggest crime syndicates. "And one might question why you're so eager to take down a man you've called friend for twenty years. Some of your businesses are still tied together."_

"_See, this is why I chose you – even here, alone, defenseless, you are not one to back away from a challenge. Bravery and tenacity are qualities I admire very much." His tone was faintly mocking, and it set Chloe's nerves on edge._

"_There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity, so you'd be wrong to assume I'm as defenseless as I might appear to be." Chloe knew Clark was patrolling in the area that night – one good scream would bring him speeding to her aid. Or at least, she hoped it would._

_He smiled, white teeth gleaming in the scant light. "You are in no danger from me. And you're correct. Vinnie has been a good friend to me over the years, but he has always been emotionally unstable and given to a certain amount of brutality. He has a temper and it leads him to make rash decisions. Left unchecked, I believe he will bring down everything we have all worked to build. And I am not getting any younger. I have two children at Boston University now. I want to legitimize my businesses, secure their future, and retire comfortably with my wife. Vinnie is proving himself to be an obstacle, and I've never liked obstacles."_

"_And you're not afraid he'll turn on you?" Chloe questioned curiously._

"_I haven't been active in his organization in a number of years. He has no reason to suspect me. Most of my businesses and investments are now legitimate, and I am willing to cut ties to the ones still connected to his organization. I will not lie to you and say that my hands were never dirtied by my dealings with him or others. I've gained my fortune through illegal means. But I am no longer a threat to this city or anyone in it, and the same cannot be said about Vinnie. Even if he were to learn that I gave you this information, the Feds would gain little by coming after me, and he knows that."_

"_But there are other ways to retaliate against you through your family and friends."_

"_That will not happen," he replied, voice hard. "I still have a lot of influence here, and many people are more loyal to me than to him. It is the price he pays for employing the tactics he does. When he has been brought down, I will step in and quietly deal with the organization. This is the reason I sought you out, Miss Chloe. Vinnie would never believe that I leaked this information to a reporter."_

_Chloe considered this for a moment. "Of course, that makes me the one with the big red target on her back."_

"_Yes, there's that," he agreed. "But this kind of story launches careers. I will do what I can to protect you. I'll make it known, quietly, that should any harm come to you there will be consequences."_

"_You're right - there will be consequences," a hard, distorted voice said from above, startling both Chloe and Turansky._

_Chloe looked up to see Oliver as he leapt from a fire escape where he had apparently been observing the meeting. He moved to stand at her left side, bow in hand._

_Turansky raised his brows. "The vigilante Green Arrow. Rather impressive backup, Miss Chloe. Perhaps I won't need to worry about you after all."_

_Chloe fought to keep the surprise from her face at Oliver's sudden appearance. "We all have our little secrets. Now, I believe you said you had some information for me?"_

_Turansky handed over a thick folder and a flash drive. "As promised, there is enough information here to put Vinnie away for a very long time."_

_Chloe took the file and flash. "And if I need to contact you?"_

"_You will find a protocol for that on the flash drive. Miss Chloe, it has been a pleasure." Turansky turned but paused when Oliver spoke, his distorted voice echoing eerily in the alley._

"_One more thing. If Miss Sullivan receives so much as a threatening note or phone call, you're the first person I'm coming for. If you have as much power in Marcos' organization as you say you do, you'll make sure it doesn't come to that."_

"_Is that a threat?" For the first time, Turansky seemed slightly uneasy._

"_Yes." The brief reply held a note of menace, and the fine hairs on the back of Chloe's neck stood up. She didn't doubt that Oliver would go after Turansky, and the seriousness of the situation began to sink in._

_Turansky regarded the hooded vigilante with a sort of grudging respect. "Understood. I'll take care of it." _

_He walked away, and the heavy silence that he left in his wake made Chloe uncomfortable. She tried to gauge Oliver's mood – was he angry with her? She slipped the file and flash drive into her bag and cleared her throat. "Thanks for the backup. How did you know I was here?"_

_Oliver just looked at her for a moment, his face completely unreadable. He turned away and shot an arrow into the ledge behind them. For a moment she thought he was going to leave without answering her, but then he turned back, pulled her to him, and released the zip line switch, sending them soaring upward._

_Chloe didn't even have time to gasp as she suddenly found herself on the rooftop with Oliver. She clung to him as he took them from one rooftop to another at dizzying speeds. When they finally stopped, she saw that they were on the roof of The Daily Planet. _

_He released her, and she stumbled back a few steps, using the ledge to steady herself. "A little warning before you do that kind of thing would be great, you know."_

"_I was patrolling and I saw you go into the alley, so I waited to see what you were up to." Oliver switched off his voice distorter before removing his dark glasses. "Meeting alone with a man like Turansky, Chloe, really? I know you take your career seriously, but it's not worth dying for, is it?"_

"_But taking down a crime syndicate like Marcos' is, Oliver. Isn't that why all of us do what we do? Clark has his strength and speed, and you have your arrows. And maybe I'm not a hero, but I have my words and a way to reach people. If I can use that to make a difference, I will."_

"_And I'm not saying you shouldn't," Oliver shot back. "But you could have told me what you were doing. Or hell, Clark even. At least then we'd be able to ensure your safety."_

"_We may be sleeping together, but that doesn't give you the right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do. After he approached me, I checked Turansky out thoroughly before agreeing to meet with him. I also knew that Clark was patrolling in that general area, and I was standing near the open end of the alley only a short distance away from a busy street."_

"_Because no one ever dies on a busy street," he retorted sarcastically. "Jesus, Chloe, the last two muggings I stopped happened on a busy street. A guy like Turansky could sink a knife into you and be gone before you even hit the ground. You'd probably never even get a chance to use your Taser."_

_All things she had considered while standing in that dimly lit alley. She sighed and rubbed her temple. She had already half admitted to herself she'd made a mistake going to the meeting solo – why was it so hard to admit that to Oliver? "I don't want to fight about this, Ollie. Maybe the circumstances weren't ideal, but I got the information I wanted, and this story is going to blow the roof off organized crime in Metropolis. Something to be happy about, right? A win for the good guys for a change."_

_Oliver stepped forward and ran his fingers through her hair before cupping the back of her neck. "It's only a win if you come out of it in one piece – try to remember that next time. I will always have your back if you need me, and it has nothing to do with us sleeping together, so no throwing that in my face like an accusation. I'm your friend, and I'm allowed to worry. And if I ever do something stupid, I know you'll probably be the first one to tell me. Well, Clark would probably be the first, but you'd likely be a close second."_

_Chloe laughed as he grinned down at her. "You're right, Clark probably would be the first one in line to lecture you – which is why when I break this story, I'm going to tell him you were my backup. His lectures are kind of long winded, you know – it might cut into our fun time."_

_Oliver shook his head at the way she was finessing the situation to her advantage, but he didn't argue with her. "Well, we can't have that. I haven't seen you nearly enough in the last two weeks."_

"_I've been at your place for the last two weekends and two nights out of each of those weeks," she protested. "Lois and Clark have both been complaining about my lack of availability."_

_He pulled her backward until they were hidden in the shadows of the building, turning her until her back was against the wall. He leaned down to kiss her neck. "Poor baby – all this lying and sneaking. Guess I'll have to make that up to you."_

_Chloe tilted her head back, shuddering as his hands slid down to cup her ass. "It is a lot of lying and sneaking, and Lois is a hard woman to lie to."_

"_Not the only thing that's hard," he murmured with a smirk, pushing his hips against hers. He lifted her suddenly, pulling her legs around his waist and pushing her skirt up all in one motion. _

_She gasped at the sudden movement and then moaned as he rocked between her legs. She clutched at his hood, feeling strangely aroused by the feel of his leather uniform beneath her fingers. "Is it weird that I'm really turned on by the fact that Green Arrow is seducing me on a roof?"_

"_You know if you wanted to be ravished on a rooftop by a vigilante, all you had to do was ask," he said as his lips descended on hers. _

_And then neither of them spoke, too busy kissing and sliding hands beneath clothes. Chloe pulled down the zipper of his vest as he unbuttoned her blouse and ran his tongue across her cleavage. He yanked the strap of her bra down and pushed the lacy cup out of his way, suckling the hard tip of her breast. Chloe widened her thighs and used the wall as leverage to thrust against him._

_Oliver pulled back and his lips devoured hers again, his tongue sliding against hers as his fingers moved up her thigh and ran across her damp panties. "You're already so wet," he whispered. He pushed the damp material to the side and Chloe gasped as the smooth leather of his uniform made contact with her sensitive flesh._

_Suddenly, he stilled. "Dammit. Do you have a condom in your bag?"_

_Chloe felt like beating her head on the wall behind her. "No." Not for the first time since she and Oliver had begun their arrangement, she cursed the fact that she'd allowed her birth control to lapse after her breakup with Jimmy. And though she and Oliver had both been tested recently and had nothing to worry about on that front, the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy put a definite damper on things._

_She swallowed her disappointment. "We should stop." She dropped her legs from around his waist and allowed him to set her on her feet. With a shaky breath, she straightened her clothes and watched him slide the zip of his uniform back up._

"_Well… that was anticlimactic," Chloe commented drily, biting her lip. "Sorry. We'll be good on the birth control front in a couple of weeks. I mean, we've agreed on exclusivity, so if you wanted…"_

_Oliver kissed her suddenly, cutting off her words. "Oh, I want. Badly. Until then, though, maybe you could keep something in your bag? You never know when Green Arrow might surprise you. I hear he's a horny bastard." He punctuated this statement with another kiss._

"_Deal. Now I need to go get some work done if I have any hope of leaving before midnight. Still want me to come over later?"_

"_As if you had to ask," he said before slipping his dark glasses back on. He shot an arrow over to the next building and grinned at her as he stepped onto the ledge. "I have plans for you later, Sullivan." With that he was gone, leaving Chloe with a silly grin on her face as she headed back to the basement._

Before that night, Chloe hadn't realized it was possible for a woman to suffer from blue balls, and she had made sure to keep protection with her since then on the off chance that Green Arrow decided to ravish her on a rooftop again. And she was really, really hoping he would. Clark's voice calling for her interrupted her thoughts, and she walked into the living room. "Hey Clark."

Clark hugged her. "I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Don't be dramatic like Lois. I had lunch with you last week, but I've been busy with the Marcos story."

"Kahn has been in the best mood lately because of that story," he replied. "I think you have a lock on a position when you graduate. People are speculating that she might even offer it to you early."

"And I wouldn't turn it down. How have you been?"

He shrugged. "Same as usual. So, what did Lois order? I'm starving."

The door buzzed again and Clark smiled. "I can smell the pizza and … wings, right?" He grinned happily and went to answer the door.

"It's weird how you do that," Chloe called after him. "Just don't slip up in front of Lois. Normal people can't smell food outside a door from a room away, Clark." She shook her head in exasperation.

Lois returned soon after, and Chloe busied herself with plating the food and pouring drinks so Lois wouldn't have a chance to corner her again. Dinner was fun, and she realized she had missed spending time with Lois and Clark. Still, she wasn't sure she'd trade her time with Oliver for it, and that was beginning to worry her. Regardless of what she'd told Lois, she knew she was getting attached.

She pondered this as she cleaned off the table while Lois supervised Clark under the sink. Being with Oliver was addicting. She'd told herself repeatedly to rein in her feelings, to have fun in the moment but not to let it go farther than that. It was becoming clear to her that it wasn't possible for her to give her body to him without engaging her emotional side too. They were just so… compatible. Compatible physically, yes, but compatible in other ways too – ways that had been a complete surprise to her.

They had fun together, and not just in the bedroom. They prepared meals together and read the paper on weekend mornings while lazing about in his very comfortable bed. They enjoyed the same books and movies. He wasn't the music geek she was, but he liked a lot of the new bands she'd introduced him to. They were actually learning about each other, and everything Chloe learned made her want him just a little bit more. And that was scary because Oliver hadn't said anything that made her believe the casual nature of their relationship had changed.

As if Lois could sense her thoughts, she moved across the room to where Chloe stood. "You have to tell me something about this new guy, Chloe," she said quietly.

Chloe glanced warily at Clark, knowing he'd be able to hear if he wanted to even from across the room. But he appeared to be completely focused on his work, so Chloe whispered, "He's a good guy, Lois. What happened between us wasn't planned, it just sort of happened. And I figured it was a one-time deal, but he wanted us to keep seeing each other and… I wanted to, so I agreed."

"So it's like a friends with benefits sort of thing?" Lois whispered back.

"Exactly like that – and yes, I know that's not something I usually do, but with him it's just different. I trust him."

"Huh. I've never really heard you talk about anyone like this, Chlo. He must have some serious moves – speaking of, how's the sex? What with the fruit flavored condoms in your bag, I'm guessing _really _good, right?"

There was a loud thump followed by the sound of cracking wood, and Chloe looked over to see a wide eyed Clark staring at her. So much for him not listening to their conversation.

"Oh my God, Clark, what the hell happened? Are you alright?" Lois bent down to examine the wooden cabinet beneath the sink, the top of which now sported a dent roughly the shape of Clark's head.

"I'm fine," he answered, rubbing his head in a gesture Chloe knew was for show.

"You can't possibly be fine – you broke the cabinet with your head," Lois retorted. "You probably have a concussion."

"No, uhm… that wood was rotting," Clark stammered a bit. "I noticed it when I was checking the sink."

"Oh – I guess the water leak softened the wood. That makes sense. And you're sure you're ok?"

Clark stood up and allowed Lois to check his head with her fingers. "I'm fine really."

Lois put her hands on her hips. "I'm just going to call the super to come take a look. This never would have happened if he'd gotten his ass up here to fix it in the first place."

"I should be going," Chloe spoke up. The last thing she wanted was to be left alone with Clark now – she could practically see the questions churning through his brain. "I still have some studying to do."

"Studying. Right." Lois winked at her with a knowing grin. "Don't want to interfere with that. Have fun _studying_."

Chloe wanted to throttle her cousin. Subtlety was definitely not her thing, and now Clark's ears were turning red the way they always did when he was either embarrassed or getting upset about something. She figured it might be some combination of the two – definitely time to make a quick exit.

She grabbed her bag and hugged first Lois and then Clark. "I'll see you tomorrow – we'll have lunch." Maybe if she saw them more often they'd quit questioning her about what she was doing in her free time.

"I'll walk you out," Clark said suddenly.

"Really not necessary." Chloe was walking so fast she was practically running now.

"Oh, I insist," Clark replied firmly.

She sighed, resigned to the lecture she knew was coming. She'd have to hear it at some point - might as well get it over with. She and Clark were both silent in the elevator on the way down to the lobby. It wasn't until they stepped outside that Clark finally spoke.

"Is what Lois said true, Chloe? That you're…" he hesitated, unsure of how to continue.

_Oh for crying out loud, Clark_. "That I'm having sex? Yes, Dad. And we've been tested, and we're using protection and everything – hence the condoms in my bag. There's nothing wrong with what we're doing."

"But you're obviously not dating or you wouldn't be sneaking around and hiding it," Clark said. "You deserve more than some guy using you like that. Who is he?"

"None of your business, Clark. And we're not sneaking around. We're being private, and you know I don't talk about my private life. I dated Jimmy for two years, and you've never asked me about my sex life before. Why start now?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt, Chloe. I'm worried."

She reached for his hand. "And I appreciate that – you're my best friend, and I love you, but I'm still not going to talk to you about this. I'm an adult, and I'm being safe, and that's all you need to know."

"It's not George, I guess. His dating history was made up of long term relationships. He didn't seem like a player. Someone at school or the Planet?"

Chloe held up her hand. "Whoa, wait a minute. How do you know more about George's dating history than I do?"

Clark looked a bit sheepish as he replied, "I might have asked Victor to run a background check on him before your second date." When Chloe crossed her arms and glared at him, he hastened to add, "And so did Oliver – Victor said that Oliver asks for background checks on anyone that a member of the team is dating."

_What a load of crap_. "Clark, last time I'm going to say it – mind your own business. I appreciate the concern, but it's both unwelcome and unwarranted. I'm a big girl and I can handle myself. No one is taking advantage of me. Are we clear?"

She stared him down for a minute before he finally relented. "I'm sorry. I don't you to be mad about it. Just be careful, alright? You're not the type for casual hookups Chloe, and you know it. I know it. Don't bury your head in the sand and ignore your feelings until they can't be ignored anymore – and don't say you don't do that because you do, Chloe. You bury your feelings and you put other people ahead of yourself – promise me you'll try not to do that with this guy, ok?"

Chloe swallowed hard against the anxious feelings his words were stirring within her. Clark knew her really well, and she knew he had a point. "I promise I'll be careful."

Clark stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "Good." He released her and moved back. "See you at work tomorrow."

Chloe got into her car and drove away, mindful of Clark's watchful gaze on her. She turned the corner and drove one more block before pulling over. She was supposed to go to Oliver's that night, and now she was questioning the wisdom of seeing him as often as she'd been doing. The thing was, Clark wasn't totally wrong. She knew her feelings were more engaged than she wanted to admit to Lois, Clark, or even herself.

But the last thing she wanted to do was end things before they had to end. Being with Oliver had opened her eyes to so many things. For one thing, the sex was absolutely amazing in a way she hadn't even thought possible. And they hadn't even really used any of the sex toys she'd bought. She had been thinking about it, though, and she'd had a plan for that evening involving the sexy cop costume Oliver had admitted to having sex dreams about.

Maybe on some level Clark was right and the smart thing to do was walk away before the possibility of getting hurt arose. But she was tired of always trying to do the smart thing. She'd been hung up on Clark for so long that her high school years had passed her by without even a casual boyfriend. Her university years had begun the same way until Jimmy reappeared in her life. She'd sort of drifted into a relationship with him because it had been nice to be the chosen one for a change. And though she had cared for Jimmy, she was beginning to realize that it hadn't been love – not the forever kind anyway.

And now Oliver had chosen her, and it was thrilling and heady. Maybe it wasn't love, but she had feelings for him. She wasn't burying her head in the sand about that. And as long as she was aware of her feelings, she wouldn't let them get out of control – she'd end it before that happened. Though she knew he cared for her as a friend, he shied away from any deeply personal topics. They had been spending a lot of time together, but Oliver kept it light, and she felt pretty sure he didn't intend for that to change. As long as she kept that in mind, she wouldn't get hurt.

Feeling better, Chloe pulled onto the road again and drove toward Oliver's penthouse. She had the cop costume in her trunk as well as a few other things. Oliver would be out on patrol for at least another hour, and she planned to be waiting for him when he got home.

**Up Next – Officer Chloe makes an appearance, things get a little too real for Oliver, and the bachelorette party is a turning point when Chloe has a run-in with playboy Ollie out on the town. **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Please note that this is just the second part of Chapter 8 - I'm not posting the first part here because I'm afraid it might be too smutty for FF material. When in doubt and all that... so, if you want to read the first part of the chapter, you'll need to visit my LiveJournal page (poetgirl925) and find Part VIII (1) - I posted the chapter in two parts on LiveJournal. If you want to skip it, that's fine too b/c I don't think you have to read it to understand what's happening here as long as you understand there's a time jump of a few weeks from that part to this part. Thanks for all the follows and reviews - hope you enjoy the update!**

**Part VIII (2)**

Oliver pushed open the doors to Lex's office with Lex's administrative assistant right behind him.

"Mr. Queen, I advised you that Mr. Luthor is unavailable right now," she said in a harried voice.

Lex stood up behind his desk. "It's fine, Nancy. I apologize for Mr. Queen's rude behavior. Despite his upbringing, he's never quite mastered genteel manners."

"While your gentility masks a corrupted soul," Oliver replied. "And we both know why I'm here." He paused when he saw the woman sitting across from Lex.

"That will be all, Nancy." Lex waited for his assistant to close the doors before continuing. "I believe you know my V.P. of Overseas Acquisitions, Tess Mercer? She's recently relocated from our London office, and she'll be joining us here in Metropolis."

Oliver smiled grimly. "I heard that you joined Luthorcorp, Mercy. Guess all your talk about saving the world was just that, huh?"

Tess arched a brow as she stood. "Mr. Luthor has as many humanitarian projects as you do, Oliver. More, perhaps, if we count our latest acquisition – I'm assuming that's why you're here."

"You bought that company and now you're shutting it down. Thousands of people will lose their jobs," he shot back. "How can you be okay with that?" He'd been stunned to hear the news of Lex's takeover of a company that he'd had plans to buy out, and his board had been in an uproar since the press conference late that morning.

"Because it's for the greater good. Yes, jobs will be lost now with the factory being shut down, but we're going to create more jobs in the future through our clean energy efforts," she countered calmly.

"I had a plan for that factory that would have resulted in minimal cutbacks while we revamped their process to make it safer for the environment."

"That would take a lot of time that we don't have," Tess remarked.

"Never mind the families you destroy in the process, is that it? What the hell happened to you, Tess?" Oliver shook his head. "I know we've had our problems, but I never would have believed you capable of getting into bed with the Luthors."

"Anything after your bed could only be a step up. And speaking of your bed, Oliver, your absence from the tabloids has been quite noticeable lately. There's actually been speculation that you might be in an exclusive relationship these days, but then I know that's not really your style."

Oliver forced a careless attitude in response to her not so subtle digging. "Jealous, Mercy?"

Her smile vanished. "I think we're done here. If you'll excuse me?" Head high, she walked out of Lex's office.

"Well, this has certainly been entertaining, but I have a lot of work to finish before I go home to my wife," Lex said. "I'm sure you can see yourself out."

"This isn't finished, Lex," Oliver replied shortly before turning and walking out.

The drive back to his own office was brief, and Oliver was angry; angry with Lex, angry with Tess, but mostly angry with himself. He'd been working on that deal for months, and he'd thought it was in the bag. As a result, he'd grown careless and because of his lack of attention to the finer details, Lex had managed to get in under the wire and take it from him. He wasn't fooled by the humanitarian spiel – he knew they had done this to get under his skin. And Tess's little digs at his relationship status gave him pause because the last thing he wanted was for either of them to get wind of his affair with Chloe. They would use it against both of them if they could.

Oliver spent the afternoon dealing with the fallout of the lost deal. Since he had been personally handling the details, the heat was on him to explain how Lex had managed to come in at the eleventh hour and take over. After several hours of angry tirades from board members, he'd had enough. He left the office but instead of heading home, he drove straight out of Metropolis. But no matter how fast he drove, he couldn't escape the knowledge that regardless of how he tried to spin it, he was to blame for the fact that thousands of families would be dealing with a severe loss of income at the end of the month.

Instead of spending his usual long hours at the office and patrolling, he'd been leaving earlier in order to spend more time with Chloe. He'd also been spending less time patrolling, excusing it by telling himself that with Clark out there, his own presence wasn't strictly necessary. And maybe that was true, but it wasn't the reason he'd been staying in.

Eventually the fall air cooled his anger, but it didn't change the facts. His commitment to his business and to the League had been the deciding factor for him in breaking things off with Lois. In the end, he knew it had been easier than it should've been because they just weren't a good match – even Lois had admitted that later. And since then, he'd kept his relationships simple because he just didn't have the time for anything else.

Things with Chloe were supposed to be simple, but they were fast becoming complicated, and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. They weren't dating, but they were exclusive. He didn't have any interest in seeing other women at the moment, and the idea of Chloe with someone else brought out a jealous streak in him he hadn't even realized he had. But whatever they were, he needed to figure out how to balance it against all of his other responsibilities.

It was dark by the time he arrived back at the penthouse, and he paused when he realized he wasn't alone.

Chloe was on the sofa, her course books spread out around her. "Hey, you. I was beginning to wonder if you were coming home tonight. I brought dinner, but it's cold now so you'll have to reheat it."

Oliver quelled his irritation as he dropped his laptop bag on the floor and headed over to the bar. "I'm not hungry." He could feel the change in Chloe without even looking at her.

"Oliver, is something wrong?"

He poured a glass of scotch and took a long sip before turning to face her. "No. I just had a long day, and I'm tired."

A flash of hurt crossed Chloe's face before she schooled her expression. "Okay. I'll just head out then – I have a test in the morning. Dinner's in the fridge if you change your mind."

Oliver felt like a jackass as he watched her gather her books. But he needed time to think, and he couldn't think clearly with her here. "I have a lot of meetings this week and I'll be at the office late. I'll call you, okay?"

Her eyes belied the smile on her face as she turned to go. "Sure. I'll talk to you later."

It killed him to watch her walk out knowing that he'd hurt her, but he forced himself to let her leave. He turned back to the bar and poured another finger of scotch, tossing it down and savoring the burn. In a sudden move, he turned and hurled the glass against the wall, feeling a moment of satisfaction as the crystal shattered.

Chloe fought the tears threatening to spill as she drove across town to the Met U campus. Clearly something was wrong with Oliver, and it was just as clear that he had no intention of talking to her about it. He hadn't exactly kicked her out, but his unspoken words had been clear enough; don't call me, I'll call you.

In his defense, she had shown up without an invitation. But she'd been doing that more often lately and he'd always seemed happy to find her there waiting for him. She'd been getting comfortable in his space – maybe too comfortable. She wasn't his girlfriend. In fact, she wasn't sure what she was to him. They'd progressively been spending more time together, and the more time that passed, the more she realized she was getting in deeper than she should be. They were in some sort of sexual gray area she couldn't define and had no experience with.

As she pulled into her spot in front of her dorm, she turned off the ignition and let the tears fall. She couldn't remember the last time she'd indulged herself in a good cry, so she was probably long overdue. Chloe realized suddenly that she'd left her overnight bag at the penthouse. That was followed by the realization that she hadn't spent the night in her dorm in almost two weeks. She put her head down on the steering wheel. Since she'd rather walk barefoot through Suicide Slums than go back and face Oliver right now, she'd just have to go to the store and replace any necessary toiletries.

A knock on her car window startled her. She raised her head and saw Clark staring at her through the glass, a concerned expression on his face. She sighed and wiped her cheeks before opening the door. "Clark what are you doing here?"

"I was patrolling and I heard you crying," he explained as she got her laptop and book bag from the backseat. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Clark. And you're not supposed to be using your super hearing to spy on me."

"I wasn't spying on you," he protested. "But I know your voice Chloe, and I knew it was you the second I heard you."

"It's called PMS," she replied shortly, hoping the girly nature of the topic would deter his questions. Chloe pushed open the door of her dormitory and felt the gust of wind that signaled Clark had zoomed past security. She headed up the stairs and found him waiting at her door.

"That was two weeks ago." He took her bags as she unlocked the door and then followed her inside.

"Oh my God – I don't even want to know how you know that," she cried out.

Clark stubbornly pushed ahead. "It's that guy you're seeing, isn't it? Lois said you've been staying with him practically every night for the last few weeks. What happened?"

Chloe sat down on the floor beside her bed. "Nothing happened really. I think he had a bad day at work, and he wanted to be alone."

"So he told you to get out?"

"First, he didn't even know I would be there, and second, I'm the one who decided to leave. He's entitled to have his apartment to himself if he wants to."

"Then why were you crying?"

She felt the tears welling up again. "Because you stupid men are all stupid jerks. And I left my overnight bag there, and I don't want to go back and get it, so I need to go to the store now."

Clark sighed and sat down beside her, pulling her close. "I'll go to the store for you. Or you can tell me where he lives and I'll go get your bag."

"Nice try, Clark. I'm pretty sure he's not in the mood for a Clark Kent scolding."

"Or maybe I'll just turn him into a human pretzel," Clark said, smiling when Chloe giggled.

"No you won't. Your super strength makes any fight with us mere mortals a one-sided event. But thanks for offering."

"Ok, maybe I won't, but Lois will if she thinks he's breaking your heart."

Chloe reached for a tissue on her nightstand and blew her nose. "He never lied to me about what this is, Clark. And I guess you and Lois were right and maybe I'm not cut out for this kind of no strings relationship. I just wish he'd told me what was bothering him instead of shutting me out. We were doing ok with the benefits, but clearly we're struggling with the friendship part."

"You deserve better than this," Clark said, reaching out to brush her hair behind her ear. "I don't like seeing you hurt this way."

"Well, if you were serious about going to the store for me then that would make me feel a lot better." Chloe smiled at him hopefully.

"Ok, make a list. I'll get some ice cream and we can watch a movie when I get back. How early is your class tomorrow?"

"It's at 10:00, and it's a test rather than class. But I've finished studying, so a movie sounds good. I'm going to call Lois and see if she wants to come over." She didn't miss the way his expression brightened before he zoomed off.

Lois was still at the _Planet_ when Chloe called, but she dropped what she was doing and arrived at the dorm in record time. "Don't get me wrong, Chloe. I'm happy to finally see you outside the office, but why aren't you with your top secret boyfriend?"

Chloe pulled the popcorn out of the microwave and dumped it into a bowl. "He's not my boyfriend, Lois. And I think it will be good for us to have a few nights apart. We've been spending a lot of time together."

Lois raised a knowing brow. "He screwed up, huh?"

"He was a stupid man jerk," Clark said as he opened the door. When Chloe glared at him, he added, "Your words, not mine. Hey, Lois."

Chloe took the bag Clark handed her. "Thanks."

"And what did the stupid man jerk do?" Lois questioned, reaching for the ice cream.

"He didn't do anything, he was just – emotionally unavailable," Chloe said, spooning out a bite of ice cream. "And now I have some thinking to do."

"I think you should kick his ass to the curb and give George a call. He asked about you the other day when I saw him at the precinct," Lois replied.

"Lois, I need you not to be pushy about this." Chloe shot her cousin a warning look.

"Look, Chlo, I personally have nothing against a good old-fashioned friends with benefits scenario. But you've been spending all of your free time with this guy lately, and it's obvious you have feelings for him. So if he doesn't return those feelings, you need to stop this before you get in so deep there's no getting out. And that's all I'm going to say right now. So, what are we watching?"

A few hours later, Chloe leaned against Clark. "I think Dhoom 2 is better than the first one," she whispered with a yawn. "I love Bollywood films."

Clark glanced over at Lois, who was snoring loudly next to Chloe. "Do you just want to let her sleep here?"

"Yeah, that's fine. You know, you should tell her how you feel, Clark."

His expression was wary as he looked back at Chloe. "Lois and I are just friends."

Chloe snorted. "No, you and I are just friends, Clark. You and Lois are an explosion waiting to happen. Look, I know Lana hurt you, but eventually you have to get over it. She's married to Lex now, and unfortunately I don't see that changing any time soon. Much as I hate to admit it, she seems to be happy with him."

Clark took off his glasses. "I loved Lana, but the truth is I've known for a while that I don't love her anymore. Not the way I used to."

"Then what's holding you back? I may be a little caught up in my own drama lately, but I'd have to be blind not to see the sparks flying between you and Lois."

"I don't know. I guess I don't want to start something while I'm lying to her about who I really am. She left Oliver when she found out he was Green Arrow."

Chloe felt a pang at the mention of Oliver. "No, she left Oliver behind long before that, Clark. I happen to know that she and Oliver had a good long talk about their relationship a long time ago, and they agreed they were better off being friends. They just weren't cut out for a relationship with each other."

"Huh. I didn't know that."

"Well, now you do. Maybe you could start by telling Lois your secret and take it from there. There is no way she'd ever tell anyone about you; I'm sure of that."

"I'll think about it if you think about breaking things off with this guy, Chloe."

"I wish you would stop calling him 'this guy' – the way you say it, it's only slightly better than Lois calling him 'that douchebag' half the night," Chloe replied, shaking her head. "Look, I promise to give my feelings and the situation a lot of thought, Clark. But he's really not the bad guy – he just has trouble letting people in."

"Maybe he's not the bad guy, but you're the one that Lois and I are concerned about here. Just think about it." He hugged her and left.

Chloe lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. She had a lot to think about, but for now she was just tired. She'd worry about Oliver tomorrow.

Oliver stared moodily out at the Metropolis skyline as he stood in his office. It had been a hell of a week, one made even worse by Chloe's absence. He couldn't believe how quickly he'd gotten used to her presence in his bed and now he couldn't seem to sleep well without her.

He'd been thinking about her a lot, and the truth was that he missed her. And it wasn't just about the sex at this point. He missed her being there at the end of the day. He still wasn't sure what that said about their relationship, but there was no denying they were beyond friends with benefits.

He was ready to admit he'd made a mistake by behaving so coldly toward her earlier in the week. He'd tried calling her, but so far he'd only gotten her voicemail. He supposed he deserved the silent treatment he was getting.

Turning back to his desk, he picked up the phone and called his usual florist. After placing his order, he asked that they come by the office so he could write the card himself before they delivered the arrangement. He knew that flowers weren't going to fix everything with Chloe, not after the way he'd dismissed her. But he was hoping they might at least get her to pick up the phone.

"Hey, Chloe. These were delivered for you while you were in the staff meeting."

Chloe glanced up from her computer to see Jimmy holding an enormous floral arrangement. "Oh. Ok, thanks." She took the flowers and set them on her desk, biting her lip as she plucked the card from the base and opened it.

'_I'm sorry I was a jerk. I'm ready to talk when you're ready to listen.' _

She should have expected something like this after not answering his calls. She wasn't trying to play hard to get, but she also wasn't sure she was ready to talk to him. At least he admitted to being a jerk. For some reason, she found that reassuring.

"Apology flowers, huh?" At Chloe's expression, he explained, "I'm just guessing – usually girls are a lot happier about getting flowers. Especially their favorite flowers."

Chloe looked back at the gorgeous arrangement of tulips in a mixture of white, orange, deep pink, and red. Beautiful purple irises and a few perfect calla lilies were mixed in with the tulips, creating a more exotic effect. There had to be at least five dozen flowers in the arrangement, and Chloe wondered how he'd known about her favorite flowers – especially the irises. Her mother used to plant them in the garden for her, but she was certain she'd never told him that.

Chloe saw Lois heading her way. "Thanks for accepting the delivery, Jimmy."

"Yeah, no problem." He still looked curious about the flowers, but he left without further comment.

"Are those from the douchebag?" Lois asked, leaning over to sniff the flowers. "He has good taste, anyway. All your favorites – even the purple irises. I'm surprised you told him about that."

Chloe decided against telling Lois that she hadn't told him about that. The fewer questions Lois was asking at this point, the better. "He's called a couple of times since yesterday, but I've been too busy to call him back."

"Chloe, we were sitting on my couch last night watching X-Files reruns," Lois replied, rolling her eyes. "Just admit you're making him squirm a little before you call him."

"I should call him to thank him for the flowers though." Chloe reached out to touch one of the delicate irises. How _had_ he known about that?

"Send him a message then, but remember the bachelorette party is tonight. No bailing on girls' night just because the douchebag grew a conscience."

"How long do you plan to keep calling him that?"

Lois smiled. "Until he mans up and admits you're in a real relationship, or when you decide to ditch the commitmentphobe and find someone who is ready for an actual relationship. Someone like George, for instance. Personally, I vote for the latter."

Chloe sighed. "Noted. And I'm not bailing on girls' night." She knew she'd never hear the end of it if she did. And she wasn't opposed to making Oliver wait another day or so, especially since she still wasn't sure what she was going to say to him.

Oliver had never wanted to bail on a party as much as he did at the moment. He'd come close to skipping it altogether, but he knew that people were starting to wonder what had happened to Oliver Queen. If he skipped out on his colleague's birthday bash, he'd have the paparazzi following him for sure. Better to just give them what they wanted, which was why he was currently holding court in the VIP section of the Ace of Clubs. _Models to the left of me, C-list actresses to the right_, he thought sardonically even as he smiled at the woman currently telling him all about her latest TV pilot.

He took a sip of his drink and allowed his gaze to wander as his thoughts returned to Chloe's message from earlier. She'd thanked him for the flowers and said she'd call him over the weekend. He'd considered pushing the issue, impatient to try and resolve things between them. But in the end he knew it was better to let Chloe set the pace since he'd been the one to screw up. It didn't make the waiting any easier though.

One of the models slid onto his lap for a photo. He thought she was a Playboy bunny, or maybe a lingerie model – hell, he was having a hard time keeping them straight at this point. He smiled for the cameras, certain that the tabloids would report he'd fucked half the women at the table by tomorrow. But then again, that was what he wanted. Because if they had a few headlines like that, no one cared what he was really doing.

Chloe stepped into the Ace of Clubs with the other members of the bachelorette party. This was the third club they'd been to, and her feet were killing her. She was also hungry, and she knew she'd need to eat something before she drank anything or else she'd be spending tomorrow in hangover hell.

She tapped Lois to get her attention. "I need to find somewhere to sit and order some food or I'm not going to make it for whatever else you have planned."

"Don't worry, I think this is our last stop," Lois answered. "The bachelor party's last stop is here, and once the bride is reunited with her groom, I'm guessing the party will be over. And speaking of parties – look, there's Oliver."

Chloe felt the bottom drop out of her stomach as she spotted Oliver in the VIP section. A birthday banner had been hung above the table he was sitting at with several other men and a number of women; one of whom, she noted, was currently draped across Oliver's lap while posing for a photo. She vaguely remembered him mentioning a friend's birthday party being on the same night as the bachelorette party, but she'd honestly forgotten all about it.

And with Lois dragging her towards the VIP section, it looked like there was no avoiding him. When the bouncer stepped in front of Lois, she stopped. "Lois Lane - I'm a friend of Oliver Queen's."

The bouncer eyed her skeptically but turned to relay the name to another member of security at the top of the stairs. After a moment, the man at the top gave a nod and the bouncer stepped aside to let them pass.

Chloe dug in her heels. "Lois, I'm not sure we should interrupt him."

"We're just saying hi – and possibly snagging some of the Cristal I'm sure he's ordered."

Knowing that further arguments would be futile, not to mention slightly suspicious, Chloe followed Lois up the stairs. Oliver stood and greeted them, looking ridiculously handsome in a white button down dress shirt and jeans. He kissed Lois' cheek and then turned to Chloe.

Chloe fought a shiver as he leaned in to kiss her cheek, his lips lingering slightly as his hand caressed her bare shoulder. "You look beautiful." His eyes were warm as he stepped back.

She realized her hands were shaking and made an effort to still them. "Thank you." She was wearing the black halter dress with the yellow, black and white floral skirt that she'd purchased while shopping with Lois before her date with George. It was fun and flirty, and she'd gotten her fair share of male attention that night.

Oliver guided them to the table. "Dan, this is Lois Lane and her cousin, Chloe Sullivan. They both work for _The Daily Planet_."

Dan's brows rose playfully as he eyed Chloe. "I love reporters – especially cute little blondes."

Chloe glanced at Oliver, noting that his smile had disappeared with his friend's comment. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm just a lowly intern struggling to pay her college tuition."

The woman who had been sitting in Oliver's lap spoke up. "You should send your picture in to Playboy – you're shorter than their usual models, but they sometimes do a co-ed spread, and you've got the kind of cute college girl look they go for."

Chloe eyed the buxom brunette, wondering if she should be insulted. "You're a Playboy model?"

"I was Miss July this year," she said, running her finger along Oliver's collar and smiling up at him. "I met Oliver at the Playboy mansion last summer."

Chloe could feel Oliver's eyes on her, but she refused to look at him. "Well it was nice to meet you – I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Candy."

_Of course it was_. Chloe resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Nice to meet you Candy. Lois, I'll be downstairs." She turned and left the VIP section, feeling about ten kinds of stupid for defending Oliver to Lois and Clark all week. He was a jerk – a big, stupid, douchebaggy man jerk who hung around at the Playboy mansion with Miss July models named Candy. And she was an idiot for falling for him.

She shouldered her way to the bar and flagged the bartender. "I need a shot of tequila and the biggest, strongest margarita you can make."

"Wow – must be some bachelorette party."

Chloe turned to see George Dean behind her. "George – hi. And how did you know…?"

"I'm the best man, so the bachelor party was my responsibility," he answered with a grin. "Lois didn't mention that?"

"No, she definitely didn't," Chloe said.

George squeezed in next to her and signaled the bartender, ordering a tequila shot. At Chloe's questioning gaze, he shrugged. "Can't let you do shots alone."

The bartender slid the drinks onto the bar, and Chloe raised her shot, clinking her glass with his before downing it. The burn hit her stomach and seemed to go straight to her head.

"Whoa." George caught her arm. "I think maybe you need some food to go with that. I grabbed a table when I came in if you want to join me."

Chloe nodded, allowing him to take her hand and lead her away from the bar.

Lois narrowed her eyes at Oliver. "You're weird tonight."

"Okay," Oliver replied, topping off her champagne as they stood at the rail overlooking the rest of the club.

Lois sipped the champagne. "You're brooding, Ollie. What's going on?"

He shrugged. "I'm just not into this anymore, I guess."

"So why come to these parties if you're not into them?"

"You know why," he answered. "I give reporters playboy Oliver out on the town at least once a month, and the rest of the time they leave me alone."

Lois considered that as she watched him. The way his eyes scanned the crowd, it was like he was looking for someone. And when his expression grew tense, his eyes trained on one spot, she followed his gaze to see Chloe and George seated at a table sharing an appetizer plate with the future bride and groom. "Oh good, George found her. Maybe he'll help her forget about the douchebag she's been crying over all week." She looked back at Oliver and drew in a sharp breath. The way he was looking at Chloe… holy shit. The douchebag was Oliver.

**A/N: So, my kitten somehow managed to delete half of this chapter earlier this week. I had the document open while trying to post, and she decided to lie down on the keyboard when I got up to get coffee. I rewrote the chapter from memory, and it's about 2,000 words longer than it was lol. Oh well... I'll try to get Parts IX and X up soon. I guess I should note that my story follows canon except that Lois and Oliver had no relationship drama in Siren, and Lana is still married to Lex, who does NOT own The Daily Planet (b/c IMO that was dumb.) Consider this late S7-early S8 in my AU canon. Again, thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Part IX**

The douchebag was Oliver. A wave of anger came with her realization, and Lois clenched the railing in an attempt to control it. She downed the champagne in her glass and then took a slug directly from the bottle. She wanted so badly to call him on it right there in the club, and only the very public setting had her biting back the words.

She couldn't believe she hadn't realized it was Oliver sooner. She'd ruled out practically everyone at _The Daily Planet_, so the remaining list of men had been on the short side. She'd even begun to suspect it might be someone at the university. But after going through Chloe's list of classes and professors, she hadn't been able to pinpoint anyone.

How had it started? She knew Chloe did some freelance computer programming for Oliver on the side, and it struck her now that Chloe must know about his Green Arrow activities. That's what she was probably helping him with, and it explained how they'd gotten so close without her knowing about it.

It had never occurred to her that Oliver and Chloe might be a good match, though it probably would have if she'd had any idea Chloe was in on his vigilante status. Oliver needed the kind of woman who could help him achieve what he was working towards; someone who would call him on his bullshit and keep his ego in check while encouraging him to be better than he thought he could be. Chloe certainly fit that description.

So then what the hell was his problem? Chloe clearly had strong feelings for Oliver, and she was loyal to a fault. He'd never do better, that was for damn sure. And yet he was screwing around with her emotionally like the ass-backward playboy the tabloids so often accused him of being.

She looked at Oliver again, noting how his eyes were glued to Chloe and George. The expression on his face was difficult to read, but his eyes told another story. _He's jealous_, she thought suddenly. It wasn't a flowery declaration, but it was definitely something she could work with.

"See the guy with Chloe? That's George Dean. He and Chloe have dated before, so I'm crossing my fingers that the sparks start flying again tonight." She watched him carefully, and the way Oliver's knuckles turned white before his hands relaxed on the rail betrayed his agitation.

"I know who he is because I saw them at Bongo's the night she went out with him. But I don't think one date can be classified as dating, Lois."

_Interesting._ When she'd asked both George and Chloe about the date, neither of them had mentioned anything about seeing Oliver. "How do you know it was just one date?"

Oliver shrugged. "Clark must have mentioned it."

_Yeah, right_. "That's weird. Do you and Clark spend a lot of time talking about Chloe's love life?"

Oliver glanced at Lois, seeming to finally catch on to the fact that she was upset. "I…"

"Ollie, they're bringing out the cake in a few minutes – we need you!"

Lois turned to see the Playboy bunny pouting in their direction. "Button it, Bambi. We're having a conversation, and you're not a part of it."

"It's Candy, not Bambi," the woman said, looking put out by Lois' rudeness.

"And trust me when I tell you that no one cares what your name is," Lois shot back.

"Okay, let's just take a breather Lois." Oliver pulled her away from the railing and over to a more private corner of the room. "Unless you want to be featured on the cover of _The Inquisitor_, that is."

Lois felt her control slipping as she snatched her arm away from Oliver and poked him in the chest. "Maybe I don't want to take a breather, Mr. Douchebag. I know you're the one Chloe's been seeing, though I guess that's a loose term for what you've really been doing. And I wouldn't have minded if you were serious about it, but now that you're just screwing her over and playing Oliver Queen mind games with her, I'm mad as hell. And frankly the only reason I haven't knocked you on your ass yet is because I don't want to make this harder on Chloe."

Oliver looked a little stunned by her tirade. "I don't know which part of that I should respond to first."

"How about this? How dare you play the playboy card with Chloe after she's been crying over you this week? You let that tramp crawl all over you right in front of her – no wonder she took off downstairs so damn fast."

"Look, I know I screwed up with Chloe, believe me. I've been kicking myself all week, and no one is sorrier than I am that I hurt her," Oliver replied, his frustration evident in his tone. "But what was I supposed to do? I didn't even know you would be here."

Lois put her hands on her hips. "You're sorry? Not as sorry as you're going to be. Out of all the women you could charm into your bed for a little no strings fun, you picked _Chloe_? What the hell were you thinking, Oliver? She deserves more than being one of the tawdry little notches on your bedpost."

"It's not like that," Oliver ground out. "I care about Chloe. I wouldn't degrade her like that."

"And you don't see that's exactly what you did, do you?" Lois shook her head, her anger deflating slightly.

"I know I fucked up this week. I had a shitty day in the office courtesy of Lex, and I was upset. I never meant to hurt her like that, I just…" Oliver shook his head. "I wasn't ready to talk about it."

"Opening up to people is hard – I get it, believe me. Chloe knows about your other activities, doesn't she? That's the work she does for you." When Oliver nodded, she continued. "Ollie, that's your biggest hurdle right there – for once, you have someone you can trust. Chloe cares about you, but if you don't have the same feelings for her, you need to walk away. It will hurt, but right now she has a chance to get over you. If you keep stringing her along, though, the fallout is going to get ugly for both of you."

"That's what you think I should do? Just let it end here and walk away?" Oliver's posture was defensive as he spoke.

God, men could be so dense. "I think you should stop making it about you and ask yourself what you're prepared to give her, Oliver. What you have to understand about Chloe is that she doesn't always ask people for what she needs, and she'll keep giving you pieces of herself until she doesn't have anything left to give. She doesn't trust easily, but once she gives her heart, she's all in. You have to offer her something in return."

He was quiet for a moment. "I need to talk to her, but I can't do that here."

"No, you definitely can't because I'll put both my Jimmy Choos up your ass if her name gets dragged through the tabloids," Lois warned him, crossing her arms.

"The last thing I want is for Chloe to get hurt. I hope you believe that."

Lois frowned as he rejoined his friend's birthday celebration, his trademark smile and careless demeanor firmly in place. She believed Oliver wouldn't intentionally set out to hurt Chloe, but that didn't mean it wouldn't happen. And though there might not be anything she could do to stop it, she had a feeling she knew what might get Oliver moving in the right direction.

* * *

Chloe smiled, watching the future bride and groom laugh as they danced rather badly to the song playing. "They seem really happy."

"They are," George confirmed. "We grew up together, you know – all three of us. What they have is pretty special. It's exactly what I want someday."

Chloe glanced up at him and her cheeks warmed at the way he was looking at her. "It's what we all want, isn't it? Unfortunately, life's not a fairytale for most of us."

"That's kind of cynical for someone so young, don't you think?"

"Young in body, but some days I feel about 100 years old in spirit," she joked. "I guess I've just seen the flip side of happily ever after too often to believe in it too much."

George leaned forward. "My grandparents were married for more than sixty years before my grandfather passed, and my parents have been married for thirty-five. My sister is also happily married and while there are no guarantees, her husband worships the ground she walks on and I like to think that won't change."

"That's kind of naïve for someone out of high school, don't you think?" She meant for it to be funny, but her quip fell flat. "Sorry. It's just… my mom left when I was young. And even though I found out later that the circumstances were beyond her control, it didn't change the fact that she broke my dad's heart and I grew up without a mother."

"I'm sorry," George murmured sympathetically. "That must have been rough."

Chloe tried to laugh it off. "No, I'm sorry. I don't know why I just told you that. It's not really the time or the place, and I'm putting a damper on this party which means it's probably time I went home."

"Do you need a ride?" George glanced up at the VIP area. "Or do you already have one?"

"I don't actually." Chloe stood and allowed George to help her with her jacket. When she saw Lois approaching them, she said, "Just let me tell Lois that we're heading out." She met her cousin halfway, hoping she wouldn't be upset that she was done for the night.

"You're leaving?" Lois asked. "But you haven't danced at all since you got here."

"George offered to drive me home and to be honest, I'm kind of exhausted."

Lois' pout was replaced by a satisfied look. "Well, then don't let me keep you two. And I seriously think you should give George another chance, Chlo. He likes you, and he's the kind of guy who doesn't come along very often."

Chloe's eyes wandered back to the VIP section. Oliver appeared to be having a good time, though she knew appearances could be deceiving. She'd helped craft a few of his 'good time' tabloid stories herself before, so it could very well be an act. The problem was that she didn't have enough insight into this part of his life, and it made separating fact from fiction a lot harder.

Chloe tore her gaze away from Oliver and forced a smile for Lois. "I'll think about it, but that's all I can promise you. Talk to you tomorrow?"

Lois hugged Chloe. "Yeah – love you."

* * *

Chloe kept the conversation light on the drive to her dorm. When they arrived, George walked around to help her out of the car. Chloe was very aware of the warmth of his hand around hers and the overall steadiness that was George Dean. He'd be a rock – someone she could lean on, and it was tempting. She knew he wouldn't hesitate to introduce her to his friends and his family; there'd be no question that they were in a committed relationship if she chose that path with him.

At the door she turned to face him. He signaled his intention before making any move, and she allowed the warm brush of his lips against hers because she needed to know the possibilities. And they were there, like little seedlings that could be nurtured and encouraged to blossom. But it would never be the same as it was with Oliver.

When he pulled back, she smiled at him. "Thank you."

His own smile was regretful. "I won't lie; I wish things were different. I hope Oliver gets how lucky he is."

"Things with Oliver and I are..." she paused, searching for the right word. "I guess complicated is the only way to describe us right now."

"Does complicated mean we can't get to know each other better?" Noting Chloe's hesitation, he clarified. "As friends, Chloe. I understand that's all that's on the table right now."

She reached out and squeezed his hand. "I'd like that."

* * *

Oliver gripped the steering wheel as he watched Chloe with George outside her dormitory. When Chloe left the club, he wasted no time in following, and he'd hoped to catch her before she went inside. He hadn't counted on George being with her or walking her to the door. Then he kissed her, and Chloe let him. It was like a knife in his gut.

He pulled away from the curb and drove to the Clocktower, not bothering to turn on the lights when he got upstairs. He thought about going for the scotch and trying to forget for one night. Instead, he sat in the chair facing his floor-to-ceiling windows and listened to the low level hum of the city nightlife.

He told himself that maybe Chloe was better off with someone like George. His life was more or less an open book, and it was clear he was interested in pursuing her. He didn't have the same ghosts tearing at him that Oliver had, and he didn't have the constant demands on his time. Chloe could have her white picket fence and a dog, and maybe one day she'd plant tulips and irises for her own daughter the way Moira had done for her.

And eventually she'd walk away from him and the League. She'd have to if she wanted to have that kind of life because it wouldn't be possible otherwise. If he really cared about her, he should want that for her – a full life safe from the dangers his world threatened.

"I wasn't sure you'd be here."

Her voice startled him, and he turned to see Chloe illuminated by the dim light from the hallway. Oliver stood up slowly. "What are you doing here?"

She started walking, and she didn't stop until she was right in front of him. "I saw your car pulling away from my dorm." When he said nothing, she sighed. "I wanted to tell you that I'm angry with you, and I think I have a right to be angry. You can't just have me here whenever you want me and then send me away when you don't, Oliver. I'm not like those girls at your party tonight."

"You're right, and I'm sorry." Oliver reached out and touched her bare shoulder. It had been almost a week since they were last together, and he wanted her so much it was a physical ache. "I've gotten used to being alone, I guess. Having someone here to share with is new for me."

"I know." Her voice was soft. "I know about the factory deal you lost to Lex. I know how that must have made you feel."

Oliver led her over to the sofa and sat, pulling her into his lap. "It wasn't just about that. It's also about how I can find a balance – with you, with my company, with the League. There's a reason I've kept my personal life uncomplicated up until now. But you and I are complicated, Chloe – especially now that Lois has figured us out."

She sighed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised because she's been snooping into every corner of my life all week – she's determined but not subtle. Is she angry?"

"With you, no – but I'm probably lucky I got out of the club alive." Oliver stroked his hand down her back and then wrapped both arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I missed you this week."

Her arms crept around him, her head nestling into the curve of his shoulder. "Me too."

Neither spoke for a while. Oliver allowed himself to relax, his breathing evening out to match hers. "I don't want to lose you, Chloe. I saw George kiss you tonight and I hated it - hated seeing you with him. Before you got here though, I was thinking maybe you were better off with someone like him… someone not so damaged. And there's still a part of me that's scared I'm going to screw this up like I've screwed up every other relationship I've tried and failed at, but I think I'd regret it if I let you go right now."

"Ollie, you're not damaged – at least, no more than I am. Do you think I don't get scared?" She sat back and met his gaze. "Because I do. And things might be easier with George, but it doesn't mean it would be better for me."

Oliver reached out and cupped her cheek gently. "Is it okay if we agree to go slowly? I swear I won't shut you out again like I did this week, but I need time to find that balance. And Lois said something to me tonight – about this not being just about me – so I want you to tell me what you need to make this work right now."

"I can agree to go slowly as long as you let me in," she answered. "I can't be in your bed but on the outside of the rest of your life. I mean, there's Oliver the public figure, there's Green Arrow, and then there's you – just Ollie. I need you to let me know all of you." Her hands crept around his neck, fingers sliding through his hair. She shifted against him, moving in closer, her hair feather soft as it brushed against his face.

Oliver nodded, but forgot what he was going to say when she kissed him. He gripped her waist before moving his hands down to cup her hips. When she moved against him again, he stood and carried her to the bedroom.

Chloe stepped out of her heels and unfastened the halter neck of her dress, allowing it to fall to the floor. Oliver's eyes swept over her; her skin was pale and perfect against the midnight blue lace of her strapless bra and panty set, and his fingers slid beneath the lace at her hips. Within moments she lay bare beneath him and he undressed quickly before following her onto his bed.

"You're beautiful," he murmured as his lips traveled across her collar bone. "And smart, and funny, and perfect."

She shivered beneath him and tilted her head to kiss the side of his neck. "God, you feel good."

Oliver touched her everywhere, enjoying the taste and feel of her body beneath his, the low moans and the way she responded to him. His movements were slow at first but gradually became more aggressive as her hands moved over him, sending little tremors down his spine and straight to his groin.

He threaded his fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head as he kissed her slowly. She strained against him, drawing her knees up to his waist, and he entered her, careful to give her time to adjust after their time apart. Oliver knew all the places to touch her now – knew the spots that would make her shudder and moan. He wanted to make Chloe forget that he'd hurt her, wanted her to forget George and the way he'd kissed her. More than that, he wanted her to realize she was his.

Afterward they lay together quietly, both seeming to sense the change but not wanting to test the fragile nature of it by voicing it aloud. And for now, the knowing was enough.

Just when Oliver thought she'd fallen asleep, she asked softly, "How did you know about my favorite flowers, Ollie?"

He ran his fingers soothingly through her hair as he answered her. "I remembered you mentioning once that you like tulips, but I knew the irises were special because you have them delivered to your mom – always the purple ones. I asked Clark about it last year, and he told me that your mom planted them for you when you were a little girl."

"Her mom used to plant them for her, too," Chloe said sleepily, snuggling into him. "Thank you."

Oliver tightened his arms around her and stroked her hair gently until she fell asleep. For the first time in almost a week, he felt content.

**A/N: Home Stretch! This was kind of a difficult writing exercise for me, so I appreciate the support from you guys. I've been editing Part X today and making little changes, but I'll get it up soonish. We haven't quite reached our happily ever after, but we are getting close! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N – This part is safe for all readers**

**Part X**

Chloe had always known that Lois could be a nag when it came to the people she cared about. Usually she just accepted it as one of her cousin's less endearing qualities. Lately, however, Lois had taken nagging to a whole new level.

Chloe had been fighting the urge to throw her textbook at Lois for almost an hour. "Lois, I have a final coming up soon."

"I'd just like to know how long you two are going to keep hiding," Lois replied stubbornly. "I mean, you're getting ready to graduate and I'm planning your graduation party."

"We're not hiding, we're taking things slowly." Seriously, she'd never felt more like throttling her cousin than she did at that moment. "And whether or not Oliver and I go public has absolutely no bearing on your party planning."

"This isn't moving at all anymore, Chloe! You're standing still while he's full speed ahead with his life. Don't you want more than this?"

"What I don't want is to have to deal with tabloid trash about us while we're figuring things out, Lois. It would only make the situation worse."

"Worse than you seeing story after story about him hooking up with this actress or that model when you haven't actually laid eyes on each other in a month?" Lois demanded.

"We Skype. And even you have to admit those stories are garbage." _It still hurts to see them._ Chloe ignored that little voice that had been speaking up more and more often of late.

"Ok, I stand corrected – you're romancing your computer." Lois threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Lois, I just need you to promise me you'll stay out of it. He and I have to be the ones to work this out, and he's actually talking to me – that's a huge step forward from where we were before. And don't think I don't know that you've been messing with Oliver's head a little. I know about your almost daily emails." The warning in Chloe's voice was clear.

"Chloe, you know I love Oliver. I also think that you two are a really good match in so many ways that he and I weren't. And if he were making you happy, I'd be waving my pompoms and telling you to go get him. But as much as you may want to, you're never going to be able to make the relationship work alone – not if he's not ready for it. You deserve better than him hiding behind his public image while he squirrels you away in his tower. I know you well enough to know you're not going to be happy with that for long."

Chloe tried to ignore the anxious feelings that crept over her whenever Lois started on what had become her favorite soapbox of late. The truth was that she had doubts about Oliver's overall commitment; she could deny them to Lois but not to herself. For one thing, she wondered what would have happened if she hadn't mustered the courage to go see Oliver the night of the bachelorette party. Seeing him drive away from her dorm had seemed final in a way she wasn't ready to accept despite the fact that she'd still been angry. But what if she hadn't?

He'd obviously thought about letting her go. That much was clear from his words that night, but it gave her hope that he'd made the first step by apologizing and sending the flowers. And the fact that he had taken the time to learn something so personal as her favorite flowers and the meaning behind them also gave her a little branch to cling to. The problem now was that rather than flourishing, she still felt like she was clinging. Frankly, it was exhausting.

They'd had only two days together before Oliver had been called back to Star City for endless meetings with his board about future projects. At first he'd thought it would only be for a few days. And when a few days turned into two weeks, he'd surprised her by sending Bart to give her an express ride to California. They'd had the weekend together and Oliver promised he would come to her the next time. But with him being back in his hometown for the first time in months, he had a lot of social commitments to catch up on. So one week passed and then another; and since Chloe had finals coming up in addition to her work at the Planet, she couldn't very well take off to Star City every weekend.

They'd made tentative plans for Thanksgiving, but then Chloe's father arrived unexpectedly in Metropolis along with the General and Lucy. Martha had invited them all to the farm for the day, and there was no way that Chloe could skip out on the joint family weekend. She'd thought about asking him to join them but didn't for two reasons. First, she was afraid Lois would accidentally out them to her family, and that wasn't the way she wanted to tell everyone. And second, she wasn't certain Oliver would even agree to come – it was the second reason more than anything else that kept her silent on the subject.

Chloe wondered when she had become that girl – the kind who held onto a guy even when he had one foot out the door. She knew why Oliver said he wanted to keep things private, and she even agreed with some of his reasons. She was graduating soon and the last thing she needed was to be a topic of media scrutiny. She hoped to secure a permanent position at the Daily Planet, and being a tabloid staple probably wouldn't impress Kahn. She also wasn't eager to be back on Lex's radar. Since his wedding to Lana, they'd maintained a civil façade whenever necessary, but it was likely that being connected to Oliver romantically would bring his attention back to her in a negative way. She'd be a weakness Oliver could ill afford.

And yet she couldn't help wishing that they could be together openly. Sure, it would be messy in the beginning – Clark wouldn't like it, her father and the General probably wouldn't like it, and she'd be the topic of all kinds of gossip at work and school. It would make her life ten kinds of complicated, and it would be a headache at the end of the day. But if she went home to Oliver at the end of that day, she knew it wouldn't matter.

She didn't have to wonder anymore what that meant about her feelings for Oliver. She knew she was in love with him – had known it since the night of the bachelorette party. She loved him, and she was beginning to think Oliver didn't return her feelings; or at least, not to the same degree. And the branch she was clinging to weakened a little more with each day that passed.

Some of what Chloe was thinking must have shown on her face because Lois suddenly looked contrite. "I'm sorry, Chloe. I'll just let you finish studying while I throw together some dinner, by which I mean I'll be ordering in. How about that new Greek place?"

Chloe nodded. "That's fine." When Lois left to find the delivery menu, she glanced at the magazine her cousin had left on the coffee table. The cover featured Oliver at a popular L.A. night club, and he wasn't alone. The actress draped all over him had a reputation that made other troubled young Hollywood starlets look like choir girls in comparison.

He'd told her about being in L.A. for business, but he hadn't mentioned the night club. He certainly hadn't mentioned party girl actresses either. Chloe picked up the magazine, tore the cover off, and wadded it up, feeling some satisfaction as she squeezed the paper in her fist. She tossed it toward the wastebasket and watched it circle the rim before falling in. _Score one for Sullivan_, she thought before turning back to her book.

* * *

Ten days later, Chloe was sitting at her desk at the Planet trying to juggle her day planner. Between the wedding, finals, and holiday parties, she'd barely had a moment to breathe lately. But finals were over, and she'd be walking across the stage accepting her diploma in just a few hours. Even better, Kahn had informed her that after the first of the year, she'd be the newest junior reporter on staff.

When her phone rang, she jumped on it. "Hey, where are you?"

"I'm still in Star City."

Chloe gripped the phone and took a deep breath. She couldn't say she was surprised because she'd known there was a good chance he wouldn't be able to get away. Still, she'd gotten her hopes up. "Oh. So your trip was extended again?"

"Yes. I'm sorry." His voice was wary, and it was clear that he wasn't any happier than she was.

"I know." Chloe tried to swallow her disappointment. "When do you think you're coming back?"

"Right now, I don't know."

"So you're there indefinitely." Her voice sounded oddly flat as she struggled to keep her hurt feelings contained.

"Not indefinitely. I promise I'll work something out, or you could join me out here for a few days."

"Ollie, I have work – you know that. I can't just take off, especially not now that I've been hired on as a permanent reporter." Chloe broke off for a moment and tried to gather her thoughts. "Maybe we should just admit this isn't working right now."

"Chloe…"

Chloe heard Kahn calling for the staff meeting and took a deep breath. "Ollie, l'm not blaming you. You have commitments, and I've always known that. But I need more than this… there's no fault here, it's just… it is what it is. I have to go because we have a staff meeting starting. Stay safe out there, ok?" She hung up before Oliver had a chance to speak, knowing that he'd probably be able to talk her out of her decision if she gave him half a chance.

* * *

Oliver stared at the phone for a moment in stunned disbelief. He couldn't believe Chloe had ended things so abruptly. He'd known she wasn't thrilled about his extended stay in Star City, but he thought she understood it was necessary.

_Just because she understands it doesn't mean she's happy_, his conscience prodded him. She'd been at the bottom of his list of priorities for months, and her life was in Metropolis. Right now, his was in Star City. But did it have to be?

He was growing increasingly frustrated by the meetings with his board members because they weren't accomplishing anything that couldn't be accomplished by regular trips back to Star City for the monthly meetings. They wanted to sit and review contracts and deals line by line, and it seemed they wanted Oliver to account for every moment of his time lately. That wasn't the purpose of the board, and they were certainly overstepping, but he'd allowed it because he wanted to make up for the deal he lost to Lex. He wanted to prove he could be the man his father was.

He supposed he would always have some doubts about whether or not he was living up to what his parents wanted him to be. Queen Industries had been important to his father, and helping others had been something both his parents involved themselves with through various charities. But at the end of the day, his father had made it a priority to be home with him and his mother. Of course there had been business trips and benefits, but his parents had believed in making their family a top level priority.

Deep down Oliver suspected that the one thing his parents would disapprove of most would be how he'd shuffled his personal relationships to the end of his list. Lately, his life had been mission first followed closely by business, and his personal life was whatever he could squeeze into his remaining time. He knew that Chloe deserved better, and he missed her a lot more than he ever told her.

He'd also worried that she would eventually tire of the distance between them – both physical and metaphorical. Sharing wasn't really his thing, and frankly, it never had been. He'd learned early to keep people at arms' length, and he wielded sarcasm and a flippant attitude with the skill of a master when necessary. But for the first time in his life, he wanted to let someone in.

Oliver could remember asking his mother once what love was. It had been shortly before the plane crash and at the time, he'd had a major crush on Ashley Waverly. He'd been convinced that love was a willingness to part with his favorite cookies at lunch every day as well as having his driver give her a ride home from school. His mother hadn't laughed at his youthful earnestness. Instead, she sat him down and told him that love was simply being willing to share yourself with another person – your time, your thoughts, and your feelings. And if two people could share enough to make each other happy, they were a good match.

That had seemed easy enough back then. And though Oliver wanted to open up to Chloe like that, he'd allowed himself to be sidetracked by everything else going on in his life. He knew he couldn't blame her for wanting to cut her losses. At this point, he had to look like a bad relationship bet.

Oliver thought about the frequent emails he'd been receiving from Lois. She kept him up to date on life in Metropolis complete with photos. He had taken his favorite photos of Chloe and turned them into a screensaver for his PC. Some of them he'd deleted – the ones featuring George, for example.

He was certain it was Lois' way of trying to make him jealous, and he'd told himself not to take the bait. Some of the photos were of Chloe with George at their friends' wedding. They'd obviously been having fun, and Oliver hadn't liked seeing them together. The most recent ones had been of the Daily Planet's annual holiday party, and there George was again. So he'd casually asked Chloe how often she saw George, surprised to find they'd developed a tentative friendship. They had mutual friends, and while Oliver certainly trusted Chloe, he still didn't like it.

Oliver had no doubt that George was keeping his foot in the door because he'd be crazy not to. And yeah, he knew that Chloe and Oliver were involved, but it wasn't public knowledge. George probably took that as a sign that it was just a matter of time until he had a chance with her, and he couldn't exactly blame the guy. Oliver knew he'd do the same if he were in the other man's shoes.

He figured he had a small window of opportunity to convince Chloe that they could make things work between them. So far she'd done most of the heavy lifting in that department, and he knew it was time to step up and share his feelings. Because the one thing he was sure of at this point was if he didn't, he was going to lose her. As far as he was concerned, that was unacceptable.

He sat down and started going through his schedule. There was a board meeting that afternoon, and he intended to be ready for them. Like it or not, things had to change.

* * *

Oliver sat calmly at the head of the table as his board members began to protest.

"Oliver, your company is here. What's so important in Metropolis, anyway?" Jowls quivering, Larson Miles stared him down across the table. He'd been one of the most demanding board members, so Oliver wasn't surprised by his directness.

"That's really not your business," Oliver replied," but I'll humor you. Short answer? I have friends there and someone who cares about me. And she's put up with a lot from me in recent months – I've disappointed her and I've juggled my responsibilities rather badly. I thought I could find a balance between my company and my personal life, but it's getting out of hand. Yes, I lost a deal and believe me when I tell you I am just as unhappy about it as you are. But this is business, ladies and gentlemen, and you don't win them all every time – no one does. And these constant, tedious meetings we've been having in order to question every decision I make aren't helping anyone."

"He has a point." Madeline Chen spoke up. "We haven't really accomplished anything by meeting more frequently."

"Maybe he does, but if this is about one of his women then I have to question his judgment," Miles muttered. "It was just last week that the papers reported him stumbling out of a nightclub with a couple of circus performers."

"I saw that story. Unless he was juggling those acrobats in his office, I have to call bullshit," Ben Gratham commented, "because I stopped by that night to tell him to get the hell out of here for a change. He's had a few public appearances, but six nights out of seven, he's right here until well past 9:00 or 10:00 every night trying to make all of us happy. I'd like to know how many of you are working that much and never seeing your loved ones. The truth is that Oliver has really dedicated himself to this company over the last couple of years, and I think his father would approve of his efforts. I sure as hell do, and we've all shared in his success. We'll have to shoulder the losses sometimes too."

Oliver sat back, grateful for the defense. Ben had been on the board since his father's time, and he'd always been a straight shooter. It was something that Oliver appreciated even when Ben felt the need to take him to task for something. His opinion also carried a lot of weight with the others.

It took a couple of hours, but in the end the board members agreed that all of the additional meetings weren't productive. Ultimately, it was a matter of trusting Oliver's business decisions, and the numbers were in Oliver's favor. The recent botched deal aside, Queen Industries was a leader in technology and had certainly surpassed Luthor Corp. Industry insiders named QI and Wayne Enterprises as the top two companies in the technology field and with the current deal Oliver had in the works to partner with Bruce Wayne on a few projects, both the company and the board stood to profit.

As the board members left, Oliver stopped Ben. "Thanks. For uh, for what you said about my father – that he'd be proud of what I've accomplished."

Ben clapped Oliver on the shoulder. "I just call it like I see it, son. Now, you'd best be getting things settled so you can head back to Metropolis. That pretty blonde of yours must be missing you."

"How did you know…?"

"You got rid of your screensaver pretty fast the other day, but I saw those photos. That little lady is too pretty to be all alone for long, but I'm sure you're smart enough to know that. And I have to say I'm glad she's not one of those models or actresses – I think your parents would have wanted better for you."

Oliver smiled. "I couldn't ask for better than Chloe. I just hope I'm not too late."

"I'll give you some advice. Women are romantics at heart. Now, maybe not all of them, but even the most pragmatic ones reserve a little corner of themselves for romance. Take my wife – now there's a pragmatic and sensible woman, but she loves a grand gesture now and then. It makes her happy. And I don't think it's so much the what, it's the fact that I took the time to plan it out just for her."

"Grand gesture, huh?"

"Sarah and I have been married for forty-five years. It always worked for me. And I expect you to bring your Chloe out to Star City for a proper visit. I have a feeling Sarah and I would both enjoy meeting her." He winked at Oliver and walked out.

* * *

Chloe felt like she'd been sleepwalking for the last few days. She was just tired – tired of missing Oliver, tired of wondering if she'd made a mistake – but mostly tired of all the second guessing.

_It's done_, she told herself. _You needed to pull yourself out of a situation that had the potential to turn toxic because you were going to end up resenting him, maybe even hating him. It's done, and you're better off._

She didn't feel better off though. She felt like her heart was broken and she'd never get over it. It was a literal pain in her chest that made it hard to breathe sometimes, and it was keeping her awake at night.

Lois had noticed right away, and so Chloe told her the truth. Surprisingly, her cousin hadn't been happy about it. She'd just been sad that Chloe was hurting, and that had been the thing that broke Chloe's barrier of reserve she'd held onto throughout her graduation ceremony. She'd smiled through dinner with her father, uncle, Lois, Lucy, Martha, and Clark. When Martha asked if she was feeling okay, she excused her lack of enthusiasm by saying that she'd been so busy that she was exhausted.

She even made it through her graduation party, accepting well wishes and congratulations from fellow graduates as well as Planet staffers. With Lois at the helm, the party was a huge success, and no one noticed when Chloe slipped out quietly with George. He'd noticed her subdued mood right away. He must have guessed the reason because he never asked her what was wrong; he simply offered to drive her home and told her to call him if she needed to talk.

And the next morning, Lois got up early and got Chloe's favorite breakfast from a little diner one town over. Chloe cried then, and they both sniffled as they ate. That was two days ago, and now it was Saturday. Strictly speaking she didn't have to be at work today. She actually didn't have to report to work until after the first of the year, but she knew she'd go crazy sitting in Lois' apartment by herself.

They'd spent the weekend clearing out her dorm room at Met U, and she was temporarily living with Lois until she could find a suitable apartment that fit her budget. With the money she'd received from her father and the General as a graduation gift, she could actually afford something on the right side of the tracks.

Chloe spent most of the morning outlining ideas for stories that she wanted to researching before switching to apartment hunting on various real estate sites. She'd been thinking of getting a kitten, so she made a note of which ones allowed pets. She'd never been allowed to have a pet when she was young. Her father had always said that puppies were too much work and couldn't be left alone for long hours. She had to admit a puppy wouldn't be practical for her, but she liked the idea of having a kitty to love and come home to.

She was so involved in taking notes on various apartments that she didn't notice how the busy hum of activity suddenly spiked – she only noticed when it began to die down and a wave of whispers swept through the room. Chloe glanced up and froze when she saw Oliver standing mere feet away from her desk.

She opened her mouth only to close it again without speaking. And while she tried to corral her scattered thoughts and make sense of what he was doing there, Oliver stepped forward and took the lead.

"I'm sorry."

Chloe stood up slowly and glanced around the room. All of the staff in the basement had stopped what they were doing and were instead watching the two of them with the kind of rabid interest only a room full of reporters could exhibit. What was he doing?

"I figured out something while I was away," Oliver continued as he took another step forward. "I've been trying to make sure I give equal time to everything in my life, but it's not possible to give equal time to everything all the time. For one thing, I can delegate more at the office if necessary – I've been trying to prove something the last couple of years to people who thought I couldn't run my father's company, I guess. I don't have to keep proving myself, though. The company is thriving and I've had a lot to do with that. I can ask for help more often with my other projects too because we're a team, and you're a part of that, Chloe – one of the biggest parts, and it's not fair that I'm pushing you to the end of the list all the time."

Chloe bit her lip. "What about finding a balance? I don't want to be the reason you let something else slip, Ollie. Not if it means you'll beat yourself up about it and maybe even resent me for it."

"That's just it, though. You're my balance, Chloe. You keep me grounded and you show me there are different ways to approach things. You keep me sane when things are falling apart. And I know this relationship has been kind of one-sided so far, but I'm going to do my best to change that because I love you."

Chloe's mouth fell open in surprise. "You…"

"I love you – a lot. More than I thought I could love anyone." He walked around the desk and pulled her into his arms, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And I'm really hoping you feel the same way."

Chloe looked around the room again. "Ollie, everyone can see us." Ok, it was obvious, but she felt the need to state it because there was no way they were getting out of there with any form of anonymity intact.

"Good because this is me making a grand gesture, Chloe. I don't want to hide anymore, and I want everyone to see that I'm in love with the most amazing woman I've ever known. " Oliver stubbornly refused to let her pull away from him. "The only way I'm letting you go is if you tell me right here that you don't love me."

"Oliver…"

"I love you." He was louder this time. "If there were a couch here, I'd jump on it. I guess I could use your desk, but it wouldn't have the same effect."

Chloe couldn't help laughing. "You're insane – and don't even think about jumping on my desk."

"I'm insanely in love with you, Chloe Sullivan." Uncaring of the many interested eyes glued to their very public reunion, he kissed her slowly.

Chloe pulled back slightly and ran her fingers over his jaw. "I love you too, Ollie."

"She loves me," he called out, eliciting a round of laughter and some clapping from their audience. "This is going to be in the paper tomorrow, isn't it?"

She raised a brow. "I'm pretty sure you knew that before you walked in here. As grand gestures go, it lacked subtlety."

"Grand gestures and subtlety are mutually exclusive in my mind, so get used to it. Just be happy I didn't go with the skywriter or Peter Gabriel blasting from a boom box outside on the steps."

"What stopped you?"

"Knowing that it would give Lois one more reason to kill me if another paper broke the news before the Planet," he admitted. "I figure if I give her an exclusive on us and a few business deals I've got in the works, she'll come around eventually."

"Well, get your pretty smile in place, Queen. I think I see Lois headed this way with not one but two photographers," she replied as she noticed Jimmy and Stephanie following closely behind her cousin.

"It's about damn time!" Lois announced as she hugged first Chloe and then Oliver. "I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to meddle."

"You meddling, Lois? I can't really picture that," Oliver deadpanned, earning a glower from said meddlesome reporter.

"Keep in mind you're not exactly off my shit list yet," she warned in a half-serious tone. "Now, we need to find a quiet little corner and hash out the details of your debut as an official twosome. Feel free to elaborate on any current business deals as well – I've heard rumors."

Chloe shook her head in amusement at Lois' abrupt shift. She looked over at Jimmy and Stephanie, and she almost laughed at their expressions. It was clear that they were busy putting two and two together and coming up with a very kinky image of Oliver Queen.

Jimmy confirmed this when he cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "So, uh – that guy was uh…"

"Why don't we all pretend we never saw each other that night," Chloe interjected. "Because this can only lead to places none of us want to visit."

"No yeah, you're right," Jimmy answered hastily as Stephanie jabbed him none too gently in the ribs with her elbow. "I just need to get my other camera if we're going to do a photo."

"Oh, there will be photos," Lois confirmed. "Now, you two ready to come out of hiding?"

Chloe took a calming breath and tightened her grip on Oliver's hand. She had butterflies in her stomach, squirming and rolling in unison. But when she looked at Oliver, her nerves faded because for once, he wasn't guarding his feelings. His expression was open and the way he felt about her had to be obvious to everyone looking at him in that moment.

With a bright smile, she answered her cousin. "I think we're finally ready."

**A/N: Ok, so this isn't the end because while I was editing, an epilogue just started writing itself in my head. At first I thought I would add it to the end of this chapter, but it's too long. So, one more post before this baby is a wrap. I'll try not to take too long, but I've had a cold and have also been crazy busy with classes and workshops. The epilogue is mostly written and features friends and family reactions to their "coming out" and occurs around the Christmas holiday. If there's something in particular you'd like to see, I could try to work it in this week while I'm fleshing out my scenes. Thanks to all who read and review – I appreciate it!**


	11. Chapter 11

Epilogue

Oliver sat on the sofa, maintaining a relaxed posture as he met the General's stare. _Don't let him see you sweat_, he reminded himself. It was really no different from a business meeting with heads of corporations; the stakes, however, were a hell of a lot higher. He and Chloe were back on track with their relationship and he'd be damned if he was going to let anything get in the way of that. Briefly he wondered where Lois was. She had greeted him at the door of the General's hotel suite and promptly disappeared with her sister Lucy.

General Lane finally broke the silence. "I'll be straight with you, Mr. Queen. I don't approve of your relationship with my niece."

Well, that was blunt. But Oliver could handle blunt words better than silence. "With all due respect, General Lane, you don't know anything about my relationship with Chloe other than what the papers have printed. And I can assure you that the only reputable account was written up by your daughter."

The General tapped a thick, manila folder on his desk. "Do you know what I have in this folder?"

Oliver cleared his throat. "No, sir."

"I asked one of my aides to get me everything they could find on you, and this is what he came up with in just 24 hours. It's quite a file." He opened it and pulled out a photo. "Tell me, Mr. Queen. If you had a daughter, would you approve of her starting a relationship with someone who was photographed doing this in public?"

_Well, hell_. Oliver had seen the photos before; they had run the gauntlet of international news outlets for months after his return from the island. This particular photo showed him, clearly inebriated, leaning against the side of a building in an alley behind one of Star City's elite clubs. The woman kneeling before him had been one of his many admirers, and when she suggested they step outside, he went along with it. Neither of them had noticed the photographer hiding in the shadows, and he'd gotten some very creative angles of their activities.

"This folder is full of similar photos and reports, Mr. Queen."

"If you're asking me if I'm proud of my behavior in the past then the answer is no. I was a spoiled rich kid who had a chip on his shoulder and more money than common sense before I ended up stranded on an island for two years. And even after I returned, I screwed up. I tried to drink away my demons, and I hurt people close to me. But that's not me anymore. And even if you don't believe me, you should know better than to think Chloe would involve herself with someone like that. She's the smartest person I know, and I have no doubt that she would kick my ass to the curb if I ever did anything that stupid again."

General Lane maintained a stony silence as he listened to Oliver. And then they just stared at each other. Oliver kept his gaze steady and resisted the urge to shift in his chair. The ticking of the clock was the only sound in the room. Oliver began to count the seconds, then the minutes; when he realized that his finger was tapping in time to the ticking clock, he broke.

* * *

Chloe sipped her coffee as she stared into the pet shop window. It was a week before Christmas, and all the pet shops had cute little baby animals on display. And though the puppies were adorable as they rolled around with each other and pressed their paws against the window, her focus was on the kittens. They were fluffy and sweet with their little pink noses and tiny paws. When one of them yawned and looked at her sleepily, she couldn't help laughing.

"Cute, aren't they?"

Chloe turned as a tall, striking redhead paused at the window beside her. "Adorable. I've been thinking of getting a kitten lately, so I can't seem to stop myself from looking in all the pet store windows."

The redhead smiled at Chloe. "You know, you look familiar. Have we met before?"

Chloe was certain she would remember the other woman if they had, which only left one explanation. She'd been recognized more and more lately both because of her high profile story on organized crime in Metropolis and, more recently, because of her relationship with Oliver. "No, I don't think so. But I'm a reporter at _The Daily Planet_, so it's possible you've seen my byline."

"Of course – Chloe Sullivan. You broke the story about organized crime in the city. Your writing is very good."

Chloe smiled back at the other woman. "Thanks. So are you looking for a Christmas pet?"

The woman shook her head. "No, just wishful thinking. I do love animals though. I studied marine biology at university." She held out her hand. "It was nice to meet you, Miss Sullivan. Good luck on future stories."

Chloe shook the woman's hand and watched curiously as she walked away before turning back to the window. A few minutes later, she felt hands covering her eyes. "Three guesses."

She laughed and turned into Oliver's arms. "I'll only ever need one where you're concerned." She smiled up at him, noting how handsome he looked in his black peacoat with the dark green scarf she'd given him for his birthday.

"Excellent answer." He leaned down and kissed her. "Ready for lunch?"

"Definitely – I skipped breakfast." She tapped the window gently as a goodbye to the kittens now watching her with interest. "So how did it go with Uncle Sam?"

"Great. You know, we talked and I think we reached an understanding."

Chloe raised her brows. "Really?"

Oliver shoved his hands in his pockets. "Actually, I babbled – it wasn't pretty. And since I'm almost certain Lois was eavesdropping, you probably already knew that."

"She might have mentioned it," Chloe laughed, patting his arm. "Don't worry about the General. He'll come around. And you still have dinner with my dad to look forward to this evening." She linked her arm with his and pulled him away from the window as they headed toward their favorite Thai food restaurant at the end of the block.

* * *

Tess stood across the street and watched the petite blonde woman as she was joined by Oliver. When the headline "Billionaire Playboy in Love" hit newsstands around the city, she'd scoffed. After all, she knew Oliver well, and the idea that he was finally going to settle down with one of his bimbos was laughable.

But then she'd learned more about Chloe Sullivan, a small town girl from Smallville of all places. Lex had plenty to say about the pairing, but most of it reflected poorly on Oliver rather than Chloe. In fact, he seemed to have a grudging admiration for Chloe, which piqued her interest even more. Lex's wife, Lana, had seemed happy for her friend, and she spoke fondly of the other woman.

So she did her own research, only to find that Chloe was as far removed from Oliver's previous type as it was possible to be while still being female. She was the editor of her high school paper and had secured an internship at the Planet while still in high school. She'd been valedictorian of her class and was voted prom queen. She'd gone on to Metropolis University and again worked as an intern for the Planet before being hired on a permanent basis after she graduated.

Tess couldn't help being curious about Chloe, and when she happened to see her standing in front of the pet shop window, she also couldn't resist talking to her. Again, Chloe wasn't anything she'd expected. She was twenty-two, but her petite build made her seem younger. She was pretty in a fresh faced way; her blonde curls were topped with a cream knit hat, and her plum colored coat brought out the green in eyes that held a sharp intelligence belying her softer appearance.

When Oliver joined Chloe in front of the window, she felt her chest tighten because he wasn't the same Oliver she knew. This Oliver looked free and happy, and his expression clearly showed that he adored the woman standing before him. And she couldn't quell the anger that flared briefly as she thought of everything she had given him only to have it shoved back in her face like so much rubbish he didn't care to have in his life.

* * *

Oliver stood as Gabe Sullivan approached his table in the coffee shop. "Mr. Sullivan, thank you for meeting me early before we have dinner with Chloe later."

"Please, call me Gabe." He shook Oliver's hand and then sat across from the younger man.

When the waitress approached, both men ordered black coffee. They kept the topics light as they waited for their order. They discussed sports and politics as well as Chloe's recent success at the paper.

When their coffee arrived, Gabe cleared his throat. "I won't lie – a part of me wishes that Chloe had chosen a more mundane profession because I worry where her curiosity will lead her."

Oliver nodded. "I worry about that too, but being a reporter is such a big part of Chloe that I wouldn't actually want to change that about her."

Gabe laughed. "I know you're right. My little girl was running around the neighborhood with a notebook and pen when she was just eight years old. She tried to solve any mystery she found from Mrs. Donaldson's trampled flower garden to the cupcakes that went missing at the school bake sale. But when you tackle organized crime, there's a lot more danger involved."

Oliver considered how to ease his mind. He couldn't explain that Chloe had backup from area vigilantes whenever she went out on a story, but he could tell him about another safety measure he and Chloe had recently agreed on. "It might help to know that I've hired a security firm to screen any potential threats to Chloe's safety. Our relationship is getting a lot of media attention, and then when you add in the stories she's been working on, it seemed like a good idea. A plainclothes agent also keeps an eye on her from a distance whenever she's not with me."

Gabe's brows flew up. "And my daughter agreed to that?"

"Yes, sir – though we did argue about it at first," Oliver admitted. "I think she finally agreed just to humor me, and she doesn't want anyone to know about it. The only reason I'm telling you is so you'll understand how serious I am about making sure your daughter stays safe."

"Because you love her."

"Yes. I plan to ask your daughter to marry me one day. Not now – I know it's too soon. But I am one hundred percent committed to her. I know my past might make me a less than desirable candidate to join your family, but I'm a different man now and I feel lucky that Chloe sees that and loves me too. I wouldn't do anything to put my relationship with her at risk."

Gabe took a sip of his coffee. "The truth is I wasn't thrilled when I heard that Chloe was involved with you. An hour on Google painted a picture I didn't like, and Sam dug up quite a file on you."

Oliver tried not to wince as he thought about Gabe viewing the General's file.

"You and Sam actually have more in common than you realize," Gabe said, leaning forward and folding his hands on the table.

"Really?" Oliver's skepticism was clear.

Gabe nodded. "At one time, no one thought he was good enough for Lois' mother. Ella was a loving and lighthearted woman, so they seemed like an unlikely match. But Ella told my wife that Sam was different with her, and eventually we could see that Ella brought out another side of him. Sam was only ever close with his wife and his sister, and when Ella died and Moira disappeared, it changed him. But I still see glimpses of that softer side around his girls and around Chloe. They're the last pieces remaining of two women he loved very much, and that's why he's being so difficult about your relationship with Chloe."

"With all due respect to the General's softer side, I don't see him warming up to me any time soon," Oliver commented dryly.

Gabe grinned at that. "Well, you're probably right about that. My point is that Chloe is a lot like Ella. She was always a bright and open little girl who loved with her whole heart. She did a better job of protecting her heart after her mother left, but she's still that same loyal, loving person underneath the armor. And if she's found something in you that she thinks is worth the risk of being hurt then I have to respect that because my daughter is a smart, capable young woman. I don't believe you'd be able to fool her if you were really the man in the tabloid stories."

"No, I wouldn't," Oliver agreed. "Sometimes I think she knows me better than I know myself. I know she makes me want to be better in everything that I do because she has a faith in me that no one's ever had before."

"And that's all I ever wanted for my daughter – someone who valued her. I can see that you do, and as long as that doesn't change, I'd be happy to welcome you to the family someday – provided that someday is still a few years off?" Gabe raised a brow. "My daughter is still young, and she just graduated from university."

"Right." Oliver was fast reaching a point with Chloe where he could imagine marrying her and hopefully having kids someday, but logically he knew that was still a few years off. And despite how impatient he'd always been in the past, he'd begun to realize that the best things were things worth waiting for.

* * *

Oliver felt the heat of anger rolling through him as he stared down at the photo in his hand. "And you're sure that Tess wasn't actually following Chloe?"

"Yes, sir. I would have noticed if she had been following Miss Sullivan. It appears to have been a chance meeting."

A chance meeting that Tess had taken advantage of. Oliver swallowed hard and forced himself to stay calm. If he blew into Tess' office, photo in hand, she'd realize that Chloe had personal security, and that was not information he wanted either her or Lex to have. Because with that knowledge, they might gain the upper hand if they ever came after her. "I want two agents with Chloe from now on, and I want someone keeping tabs on Lex andTess. If they so much as sneeze in her direction, I want to know about it."

"Understood, sir." The security agent left Oliver's office.

Oliver stood and looked out the window for a moment before pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Clark? We need to talk. It's about Chloe."

Oliver wasn't surprised when Clark sped into the room a few seconds later. "What's wrong?"

He handed over the photo. "This picture was taken yesterday. The woman with Chloe is Tess Mercer. She and I…" Oliver paused. "We used to be involved but it ended badly. Now she works for Lex and she's here in Metropolis."

Clark slammed his hand against Oliver's desk. "This is exactly what I was worried about – that your relationship with Chloe would make her a target."

Clark had reacted explosively upon finding out that the man Chloe had been seeing in secret was Oliver. It had taken the collective efforts of both Lois and Chloe to talk him out of going after Oliver and rearranging his limbs, a threat that had actually impressed Lois since she didn't often see a side of Clark that didn't fit his mild mannered image. In the end, Oliver and Clark had talked it out, though not without some harsh words being exchanged.

"You think I don't worry about that too?" Oliver shot back. "I had a hell of a time convincing Chloe to put up with an undercover security agent tailing her – we had a huge argument about it. And now I have to tell her that one of my exes has taken an interest in her."

Clark looked back at the photo clenched in his fist. "What does she want with Chloe? Is it just personal or is it somehow related to Lex?"

"The agent said it was a chance meeting and she wasn't actually following Chloe. But to be safe, they're on high alert now with regard to Lex and Tess. I've notified the team as a precaution, and I wanted you to know as well. But I don't want to confront Tess because it may be nothing more than curiosity on her part."

Clark sighed and removed his glasses to look at Oliver. "Look, I have nothing against you personally, Oliver. But if your relationship with Chloe jeopardizes her safety, you should consider letting her go."

"Ironic coming from the super powered resident alien who drags Chloe into all kinds of dangerous hijinks," Oliver replied with a grim smile. "Chloe is a grown woman and she makes her own decisions."

Clark had the good grace to look slightly guilty. "I'm doing my best to keep her out of that part of my life now. She finds enough trouble on her own. And I didn't come here to fight with you again. Chloe's made it clear that she'll start wearing jewelry made with little green rocks if I don't stop lecturing her about your relationship."

Oliver smiled at that. "Sounds like her." He watched as Clark placed the photo back on his desk.

"If Tess is a new executive at Luthorcorp, I can probably arrange an interview with her," Clark said. "It will give me a chance to see what she's up to."

"Tess plays her cards close to her chest. And if she's working closely with Lex now, then she's not the same woman I knew. Be careful."

Clark nodded and zoomed away, leaving Oliver to brood on the best way to talk to Chloe about this new situation.

* * *

Chloe sighed with relief as she collapsed on Oliver's sofa. "As much as I love my family, I'm glad we came back to Metropolis for the night. That was exhausting." It was Christmas Eve, and they had just spent the better part of the evening at the farm where Martha had been in full homemaker mode. They'd had dinner, and Chloe was pleasantly surprised by how well her father and Oliver were getting along. It made up for the lack of enthusiasm from her uncle and Clark.

Oliver sat beside her and pulled her legs into his lap. After removing her shoes, he began massaging her feet, digging his thumbs into her soles to release the tension he found there. "And we still have tomorrow to look forward to. But I enjoy your father's company, and Martha is being supportive."

Chloe moaned, wiggling her toes. "God that feels good. You are a man of many talents."

Oliver smiled at her. "Well these hands are yours whenever you want them."

Chloe leaned back against the cushions and watched him for a moment. She'd never really imagined being this happy with someone before. Oliver Queen was in love with her – it still blew her mind sometimes. Who would have thought that out of all the women he'd dated, Oliver would fall in love with her?

She didn't have any doubts about his feelings for her. They were evident in the way he looked at her, the way he touched her, the way he said her name – almost reverently, as if he couldn't believe that he was lucky enough to have her. Of course, it wasn't all roses all the time. They'd already argued about personal security, something that Chloe didn't feel was necessary until Oliver had shown her a photo of the woman who had talked to her in front of the pet store.

And then he'd told her everything about Tess Mercer – his time on the island with her, the way he'd intentionally blown up their relationship after they were rescued, and the fact that she was now using her position at Luthorcorp to come after him in the business world. Chloe couldn't deny she felt a little creeped out by the other woman's interest, especially given her connection to Lex. She wasn't stupid – she'd known full well that a relationship with Oliver came with certain risks. Oliver was doing his best to mitigate those risks, and she was doing her best not to fight him on it. Their relationship was still a work-in-progress, but she felt confident in their ability to navigate the uncharted territory together.

"So, I'm assuming the security company hasn't found anything with regard to Tess and Lex since you haven't brought it up in a few days," Chloe finally said. "And by the way, these security agents following me must be really good because Lois and I spent the whole afternoon yesterday trying to figure out who they are to no avail."

"Their job is not to be noticed until they're needed," Oliver pointed out. "If you could pick them out, so could someone else. And no – as far as they've been able to determine, Tess just happened to run into you and took the opportunity to talk to you when she realized who you are."

Chloe made a face. "Still kind of creepy."

"Yes, it is. I don't like that she was that close to you. The Tess that I knew long ago wouldn't be a threat to anyone, but now… I just don't know. She's different now."

"Well, better that it was her personal interest rather than something Lex has up his sleeve involving me." In the interest of full disclosure, Chloe had told Oliver everything she knew about her meteor ability. She hadn't used it in almost a year, and Oliver was as adamant as Clark about her not using it again at all given the side effects. He had then asked Emil to do a full checkup on Chloe in order to study any effects the meteor rock might have on her long term health. Chloe didn't argue because she had concerns of her own, especially given the state of her mother's health. If Emil could alleviate some of her worries, it would be a big weight lifted.

"True." Oliver leaned over and kissed her softly. "Now, no more talk about Tess and Lex. I have a surprise for you." He stood and pulled Chloe up with him, leading her to his bedroom.

Chloe smirked. "A 'surprise' huh? The kind involving no clothes, I'm guessing."

"You have a dirty mind, Sullivan," he teased her. "That comes later. First…" he opened the door to his bedroom, and they were immediate greeted by a loud cry.

"Oh my gosh," Chloe exclaimed, dropping to her knees to greet the tiny ball of fur coming her way, fluffy tail held high. "How did you know?" She picked up the kitten and snuggled it under her chin, delighting in the rumbling purr that immediately followed.

Oliver sat on the floor beside her, grinning at the way the kitten was rubbing her head on Chloe's chin. "I saw the way you were looking at those kittens last week, so I asked Lois about it. She said you had been thinking about getting one. And then I met this little girl. Remember the sheikh I had dinner with last week?" When Chloe nodded, he continued. "After dinner, we went to his office to talk business and suddenly, I felt something climbing my pants leg. Zafarana had escaped from his daughter's bedroom. She was one of five kittens his daughter's cat had almost two months ago."

"Her name is Zafarana?" Chloe held up the little kitten and took a good look at her. She was a beautiful tortoiseshell Persian with a little orange streak going down her nose and big, topaz eyes. When the kitten meowed, she held her close again.

Oliver nodded. "It's Arabic for 'saffron' – the sheikh's daughter called her that because of the orange streaks in her fur. But you can change it if you want to."

Chloe kissed Zafarana's nose. "No I like it – it suits her since she's a Persian kitty from Persia." She stood carefully and sat down in Oliver's lap, leaning up to kiss him before settling against his chest. "Thank you. Now I just need to find an apartment that allows pets."

"You know you have an open invitation to live with me, right?" Oliver would love nothing more than to have Chloe move in with him, but he wasn't pushing it because he could see how excited she was to have an apartment all her own for the first time.

"I know. We'll definitely revisit that discussion later. Meanwhile, I'll be here so often you'll probably get tired of me anyway."

Oliver tightened his arms around her. "Impossible, but feel free to make as big a nuisance of yourself as you like. And I'm calling drawer and closet space at your new apartment."

"You are, huh?" Chloe looked up at him with a smile. "So I should expect you to be invading my space when I'm not invading yours?"

"Well, you know – turnabout and all," he replied in a teasing tone. "So, we have presents under the tree. Some are for you, some are for me, and some might be for Zafarana here."

Chloe laughed. "You wrapped presents for my kitten?"

"Maybe – want to go look?"

Chloe allowed Oliver to help her up while keeping her new baby snuggled against her chest. "Lead the way."

**A/N: Finished! Thanks to everyone who read and supported this story. As you've probably guessed by Tess' presence in the Epilogue, I have an idea for a sequel. However, I have WIP (Shadows, Letting Go) to finish first, and I'm also about 2/3 finished with another story, Into the Dark. The good news is I have about six weeks off this summer starting the second week of July, and other than a trip to Prague I'm planning, I intend to use that time to get a lot of writing done. I have my own writing projects to work on, of course, but I'll plug away at my fan fics for at least a couple of hours each day. When I have large blocks of time uninterrupted, I usually get a lot done, so fingers crossed! If you'd like to read a story summary for Into the Dark, please visit my Master Fic List at LiveJournal under Poetgirl925. **


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